No answer from Rosamond, and the lady continued: "When I was about your age I fancied I loved a man who, I think, must have been much like Mr. Browning--"
"No, no," interrupted Rosamond. "n.o.body was ever like Mr. Browning. I don"t want to hear the Miss Porter, but if I mistake not she will go home story. I don"t want anything but to go home."
I will not tell her until it"s more necessary, thought much sooner than she antic.i.p.ates. And she was right, for on that very night Mr.
Browning sat reading a letter which ran as follows:
"I find myself so happy with _your little_ Rosamond, who chances to be my room-mate, that I have postponed my visit to Riverside, until some future time, which, if you continue neutral, may never come--but the moment you trespa.s.s on forbidden ground, or breathe a word of love into _her_ ear--beware! She loves _you_. I have found that out, and I tell it because I know it will not make your life more happy, or your punishment easier to bear!"
He did not shriek--he did not faint--he did not move--but from between his teeth two words came like a burning hiss, "Curse her!" Then, seizing his pen, he dashed off a few lines, bidding Rosamond "not to delay a single moment, but to come home at once."
"She knows it all," he said, "and now, if _she_ comes here, it will not be much worse. I can but die, let what will happen."
This letter took Rosamond and the Lawries by surprise, but not so Miss Porter. She expected it, and when she saw how eager Rosamond was to go, she smiled a hard, bitter smile, and said, "I"ve half a mind to go with you."
"_What! where?_ To _Riverside?_" asked Rosamond, suspending her preparations for a moment, and hardly knowing whether she were pleased or not.
"Yes, to Riverside," returned Miss Porter, "though on the whole, I think I"d better not. Mr. Browning may not care to see me. If he does, you can write and let me know. Give him my love, and say that if you had not described him as so incorrigible an old bach, I might be coming there to try my powers upon him. I am _irresistible in my diamonds_. Be sure and tell him that; and stay, Rosamond, I must give you some little token of my affection. What shall it be?" and she feigned to be thinking.
Most cruel must her thoughts have been, and even she hesitated a moment ere she could bring herself to such an act. Then with a contemptuous--"Pshaw!" she arose and opening her jewel box took from a private drawer a plain gold ring, bearing date nine years back, and having inscribed upon it simply her name "Marie." This she brought to Rosamond, saying, "I can"t wear it now;--my hands are too thin and bony, but it just fits you,--see--" and she placed it upon the third finger of Rosamond"s left hand!
Rosamond thanked her,--admired the chaste beauty of the ring and then went on with her packing, while the wicked woman seated herself by the window and leaning her head upon her hands tried to quiet the voice of conscience which cried out against the deed she had done.
"It does not matter," she thought. "That tie was severed years ago,-- by his own act, too. The ring shall go. But will he see it! Men do not always observe such things," and then lest he should not quaff the cup of bitterness prepared for him, she wrote on a tiny sheet of gilt- edged paper, "Look on Rosamond"s third finger!"
This she carefully sealed and gave to Rosamond, bidding her hand it to Mr. Browning, and saying in answer to her look of inquiry, "It is about a little matter concerning yourself. He can show it to you, if he thinks proper!"
"The omnibus, Miss, for the cars," cried a servant at the door, and with a hurried good-bye to her friends, Rosamond departed and was soon on her way to Riverside.
CHAPTER VII.
MAKING LOVE.
An accident had occurred to the downward train, and Rosamond was detained upon the road for a long time, so that it was already dark when she reached the Granby depot. Wishing to surprise Mr. Browning, she started for home on foot, leaving her trunks in charge of the baggage master. All around the house was still, and stepping into the hall she was about pa.s.sing up the stairs, when the parlor door suddenly opened, throwing a glare of light upon her face. The same instant some one caught her round the neck, and kissing her twice, only released her when she exclaimed, "_Mr. Browning_, I am surprised at you!"
"Mr. Browning! _Thunder!_ Just as though I was my uncle!" cried a familiar voice, and looking at the speaker, Rosamond recognized _Ben Van Vechten!_ He had come to Riverside the day previous, he said, and hearing she was expected, had waited at the depot four mortal hours, and then returned in disgust.
"But how did you know me?" she asked, and he replied, "By your daguerreotype, of course. There is but one such beautiful face in the whole world."
He was disposed to be complimentary, and Rosamond was not sorry when his mother appeared, for in her presence he was tolerably reserved.
Mrs. Van Vechten greeted Rosamond politely, but the old hauteur was there, and her manner seemed to say, "If you are educated and refined, I can"t forget that you were once my waiting-maid."
"Where is Mr. Browning?" asked Rosamond, and _Ben_ replied, "Oh, up in his den having the shakes. He mopes there all the time. Can"t you break him of the blues?"
"I"ll go and try," answered Rosamond, and she started up the stairs, followed by Ben, whose mother called him back, bidding him, in a low voice, "stay where he was, and not make a fool of himself."
She could trust her _brother_, but not her _son_, and she thus did the former the greatest favor she could have done--she let him meet young Rosamond Leyton alone. The evening was quite chilly for July, and, as, since the receipt of Miss Porter"s note, Mr. Browning had seemed rather agueish, there was a fire burning in the grate, and it cast its shadows upon him as he sat in his accustomed chair. His back was toward the door, and he knew nothing of Rosamond"s return until two, soft, white hands were placed before his eyes, and a voice which tried to be unnatural, said "Guess who I am."
"Rosamond--darling--have you come back to me again?" he exclaimed, and starting up, he wound his arm about her, and looked into her face, expecting, momentarily, to hear her say, "Yes, I know it all."
But Rosamond did not say so. She merely told him how glad she was to be at home once more, in her delight forgetting that Marie Porter had said she loved the man who held her closely to his side and smoothed her wavy hair even while his heart throbbed painfully with memories of the past and trembled for the future. He longed to speak of her room- mate, but he dared not betray his knowledge of her existence, and he sat there waiting, yet dreading to hear the hated name.
"Did you room alone?" he asked at last, and now remembering the words, "You do love him," Rosamond moved quickly from his side. "She does know," he thought, and a silent moan of anguish died upon his lips.
But Rosamond did not know--the movement was actuated by mere maidenly reserve, and sitting down directly opposite him, she told him of Miss Porter, whom she said she liked so well.
"How much of an invalid is she?" asked Mr. Browning, when he could trust his voice to speak.
"Her health is miserable," returned Rosamond. "She has the heart disease, and her waiting-maid told me she was liable to die at any time if unusually excited."
It might have been because Rosamond was there that Mr. Browning thought the room was brighter than it had been before, and quite calmly he listened while she told him more of her new friend.
"She seemed so interested in you, and in Riverside," said Rosamond, "and even proposed coming home with me--"
Mr. Browning started suddenly, and as suddenly a coal snapped out upon the carpet. This was an excuse for his movement, and Rosamond continued, "She thought, though, you might not care to see her, being a stranger, but she sent you _her love,_ and--. You are cold, ain"t you, Mr. Browning? You shiver like a leaf. Ben said you"d had the ague."
Rosamond closed the door and commenced again. "Where was I? Oh, I know. She said if you were not a confirmed bachelor she would try her powers on you. _"She was irresistible in her diamonds,"_ she bade me tell you. But have you an ague chill, really? or what makes your teeth chatter so? Shall I ring for more coal?"
"No, Rosamond, no. Fire does not warm me; I shall be better soon."
Rosamond pitied him, he looked so white and seemed to be suffering so much, and she remained silent for a time. Then remembering the note, she handed it to him, and turning toward the fire, stooped down to fix a bit of coal which was in danger of dropping from the grate. While in this att.i.tude a cry between a howl of rage and a moan of anguish fell upon her ear--her shoulders were grasped by powerful hands, and looking up she saw Mr. Browning, his face distorted with pa.s.sion and his flashing eyes riveted upon the _ring_ glittering in the firelight.
Seizing her hand, he wrenched it from her finger, and glanced at the name--then, swift as thought, placed it upon the marble hearth, and crushed it with his heel.
"It"s mine--you"ve broken it," cried Rosamond, but he did not heed her, and gathering up the pieces, he hurled them into the grate--then, pale as ashes, sank panting into the nearest chair.
Rosamond was thunder-struck. She did not suppose he had had time to read the note, and never dreaming there was any connection between that and his strange conduct, she believed him to be raving mad, and her first impulse was to fly. Her second thought, however, was, "I will not leave him. He has these fits often, now, I know, and that is why he sent for me. He knew I could quiet him, and I will."
So Rosamond stayed, succeeding so far in soothing him that his eyes lost their savage gleam, and were suffused with a look of unnatural tenderness when they rested on her face. He did not ask her how she came by the ring, for he knew it had been sent as an insult to him, and he felt a glow of satisfaction in knowing that it was blackening on the grate. Ben"s voice was now heard in the hall, asking if they intended staying there all night, and in a whisper Mr. Browning bade Rosamond go down and apologize for him. She accordingly descended to the parlor, telling Mrs. Van Vechten that her brother was too much indisposed to come down, and wished to be excused. Mrs. Van Vechten bowed coolly, and taking a book of prints, busied herself for awhile in examining them; then the book dropped from her hand--her head fell back--her mouth fell open, and Ben, who was anxiously watching her, knew by unmistakable sounds that she was fast asleep. It was now his time, and faithfully did he improve it, devoting himself so a.s.siduously to Rosamond, that she was glad when a _snore,_ louder and more prolonged than any which had preceded it started the lady herself, and produced symptoms of returning consciousness.
The next day, and the next, it was the same, and at the expiration of a week, Ben had determined either to marry Rosamond Leyton, or go to the _Crimean War,_ this last being the bugbear, with which he intended frightening his mother into a consent. He hardly dared disobey her openly for fear of disinheritance, and he would rather she should express her willingness to receive Miss Leyton as her daughter. He accordingly startled her one day by asking her to sanction his intended proposal to the young girl. Nothing could exceed Mrs. Van Vechten"s amazement and contempt. She would never consent, and if Ben persisted in making so disgraceful an alliance, she would disinherit him at once. Ben knew she was in earnest, and so fell back upon the Crimean war as a last resort. "He would go immediately--would start that very day for New York--he had money enough to carry him there,"
and he painted so vividly "death on a distant battle-field, with a ferocious _Russian_ rifling his trousers" pocket," that his mother began to cry, though she still refused to relent.
"Choose, mother, choose," said he. "It"s almost car time--Rosamond or the war," and he drew on his heavy boots.
"Oh Benjamin, you, will kill me dead."
"I know it. I mean to. Rosamond or the war!" and he b.u.t.toned up his coat preparatory to a start.
"Do, Ben, listen to reason."
"I won"t--I won"t;--Rosamond or the war! I shall rush into the thickest of the fight, and be killed the first fire, of course, and black is _so_ unbecoming to you."
"Stop, I entreat. You know you are afraid of cannons;" this was said beseechingly.
"Thunder, mother! No, I ain"t! Rosamond or the war--choose quick. I hear the whistle at East Granby."
He left the room--went down the stairs, out at the door, through the yard, and out into the avenue, while his distracted mother looked after him through blinding tears. She knew how determined he was when once his mind was made up, and she feared his present excitement would last until he was fairly shipped, and it was too late to return. He would never fight, she was sure, and at the first battle-sound he would fly, and be hung as a deserter, no doubt! This touched her pride. She would rather people should say of her boy that he married a milliner"s daughter than that he was hung, and hurrying to the window just as Ben looked back, hoping for a signal, she waved her hand for him to return, calling out at the top of her voice, "I relent--I relent." "I knew the _Crimea_ would fetch her," said Ben; "lucky I thought of that," and without going to his mother at all, he sought out Rosamond. Half an hour later he astonished the former by rushing into her presence, and exclaiming, "She"s refused me, mother; and she meant it, too. Oh, _I shall die_--I know I shall. _Oh, oh, oh!"_ and Ben rolled on the floor in his frantic grief. As nearly as she could, Mrs. Van Vechten learned the particulars of his interview with Rosamond, and, though at first secretly pleased that he had been refused, she felt a very little piqued that her son should thus be dishonored, and when she saw how wretched it had made him, her feelings were enlisted in his behalf, and she tried to soothe him by saying that her brother had a great deal of influence with Rosamond, and they would refer the matter to him.