"I used to think not; but men are stern critics, darling, and especially when they are husbands. You will find out, one of these days, how neatly your liege lord will detect every little objectionable trait in your nature, and with what admirable frankness he will caution you against--yourself."
"I almost think I "d rather he would not."
"I "m very certain of it, Lucy," said the other, with greater firmness than before. "The thing we call love in married life has an existence only a little beyond that of the bouquet you carried to the wedding-breakfast; and it would be unreasonable in a woman to expect it, but she might fairly ask for courtesy and respect, and you would be amazed how churlish even gentlemen can become about expending these graces in their own families."
Lucy was both shocked and astonished at what she heard, and the grave tone in which the words were uttered surprised her most of all.
Mrs. Sewell had by this time taken off her bonnet and shawl, and, pushing back her luxuriant hair from her forehead, looked as though suffering from headache, for her brows were contracted, and the orbits around her eyes dark and purple-looking.
"You are not quite well to-day," said Lucy, as she sat down on the sofa beside her, and took her hand.
"About as well as I ever am," said she, sighing; and then, as if suddenly recollecting herself, added, "India makes such an inroad on health and strength! No buoyancy of temperament ever resisted that fatal climate. You would n"t believe it, Lucy, but I was once famed for high spirits."
"I can well believe it."
"It was, however, very long ago. I was little more than a child at the time--that is, I was about fourteen or fifteen--when I left England, to which I returned in my twentieth year. I went back very soon afterwards to nurse my poor father, and be married."
The depth of sadness in which she spoke the last words made the silence that followed intensely sad and gloomy.
"Yes," said she, with a deep melancholy smile, "papa called me madcap.
Oh dear, if our fathers and mothers could look back from that eternity they have gone to, and see how the traits they traced in our childhood have saddened and sobered down into sternest features, would they recognize us as their own? I don"t look like a madcap now, Lucy, do I?" As she said this, her eyes swam in tears, and her lip trembled convulsively. Then standing hastily up, she drew nigh the table, and leaned over to look at the drawing at which Lucy had been engaged.
"What!" cried she, with almost a shriek,--"what is this? Whose portrait is this? Tell me at once; who is it?"
"A very dear friend of mine and of Tom"s. One you could not have ever met, I"m sure."
"And how do you know whom I have met?" cried she, fiercely. "What can you know of my life and my a.s.sociates?"
"I said so, because he is one who has lived long estranged from the world," said Lucy, gently; for in the sudden burst of the other"s pa.s.sion she only saw matter for deep compa.s.sion. It was but another part of a nature torn and distracted by unceasing anxieties.
"But his name,--his name?" said Mrs. Sewell, wildly.
"His name is Sir Brook Fossbrooke."
"I knew it, I knew it!" cried she, wildly,--"I knew it!" and said it over and over again. "Go where we will we shall find him. He haunts; us like a curse,--like a curse!" And it was in almost a shriek the last word came forth.
"You cannot know the man if you say this of him," said Lucy, firmly.
"Not know him!--not know him! You will tell me next that I do not know myself,--not know my own name,--not know the life of bitterness I have lived,--the shame of it,--the ineffable shame of it!" and she threw herself on her face on the sofa, and sobbed convulsively. Long and anxiously did Lucy try all in her power to comfort and console her. She poured out her whole heart in pledges of sisterly love and affection.
She a.s.sured her of a sympathy that would never desert her; and, last of all, she told her that her judgment of Sir Brook was a mistaken one,--that in the world there lived not one more true-hearted, more generous, or more n.o.ble.
"And where did you learn all this, young woman?" said the other, pa.s.sionately. "In what temptations and trials of your life have these experiences been gained? Oh, don"t be angry with me, dearest Lucy; forgive this rude speech of mine; my head is turning, and I know not what I say. Tell me, child, did this man speak to you of my husband?"
"No."
"Nor of myself?"
"Not a word. I don"t believe he was aware that we were related to each other."
"He not aware? Why, it"s his boast that he knows every one and every one"s connections. You never heard him speak without this parade of universal acquaintanceship. But why did he come here? How did you happen to meet him?"
"By the merest accident. Tom found him one day fishing the river close to our house, and they got to talk together; and it ended by his coming to us to tea. Intimacy followed very quickly, and then a close friendship."
"And do you mean to tell me that all this while he never alluded to us?"
"Never."
"This is so unlike him,--so unlike him," muttered she, half to herself.
"And the last place you saw him,--where was it?"
"Here in this house."
"Here! Do you mean that he came here to see you?"
"No; he had some business with grandpapa, and called one morning, but he was not received. Grandpapa was not well, and sent Colonel Sewell to meet him."
"He sent my husband! And did he go?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure of that?"
"I know it."
"I never heard of this," said she, holding her hands to her temples.
"About what time was it?"
"It was on Friday last. I remember the day, because it was the last time I saw poor Tom."
"On Friday last," said she, pondering. "Yes, you are right. I do remember that Friday;" and she drew up the sleeve of her dress, and looked at a dark-blue mark upon the fair white skin of her arm; but so hastily was the action done that Lucy did not remark it.
"It was on Friday morning. It was on the forenoon of Friday, was it not?"
"Yes. The clock struck one, I remember, as I got back to the house."
"Tell me, Lucy," said she in a caressing tone, as she drew her arm round the girl"s waist,--"tell me, darling, how did Colonel Sewell look after that interview? Did he seem angry or irritated? I"ll tell you why I ask this some other time,--but I want to know if he seemed vexed or chagrined by meeting this man."
"I did not see him after; he went away almost immediately after Sir Brook. I heard his voice talking with grandpapa in the garden, but I went to my room, and we did not meet."
"As they spoke in the garden, were their voices raised? Did they talk like men excited or in warmth?"
"Yes. Their tone and manner were what you say,--so much so that I went away, not to overhear them. Grandpapa, I know, was angry at something; and when we met at luncheon, he barely spoke to me."
"And what conclusion did you draw from all this?"
"None! There was nothing to induce me to dwell on the circ.u.mstance; besides," added she, with some irritation, "I am not given to reason upon the traits of people"s manner, or their tone in speaking."
"Nor perhaps accustomed to inquire, when your grandfather is vexed, what it is that has irritated him."