Won"t you call her, Kitty?"
Kitty went, though reluctantly, to call Gertrude, and told her for what she was wanted. Gertrude was astonished; since the day when she had persisted in leaving his house, Mr. Graham had never asked her to read to him; but, obedient to the summons, she presented herself, and, taking the seat which Belle had vacated near the door, commenced with the ship-news, and, without asking questions, turned to various items of intelligence, taking them in the order which she knew Mr. Graham preferred.
The old gentleman, leaning back in his easy-chair, and resting his gouty foot upon an ottoman opposite to him, looked amazingly satisfied; and when Belle and Kitty had gone off to their room, he remarked, "This seems like old times, doesn"t it, Gertrude?" He closed his eyes, and Gertrude was soon aware that he had fallen asleep. Seeing that, as he sat, it would be impossible for her to pa.s.s without waking him, she laid down the paper, and was preparing to draw some work from her pocket, when she observed a shadow in the doorway, and, looking up, saw the person whom she had yesterday resolved to avoid.
Mr. Bruce was staring in her face, with an indolent air of ease and confidence, which she always found very offensive. He had in one hand a bunch of roses, which he held up to her admiring gaze. "Very beautiful!"
said Gertrude, as she glanced at the little branches, covered with a luxurious growth of moss rose-buds, both pink and white.
She spoke in a low voice, fearing to awaken Mr. Graham. Mr. Bruce, in a whisper, remarked, as he dangled them above her head, "I thought they were pretty when I gathered them, but they suffer from the comparison.
Miss Gertrude," and he gave a meaning look at the roses in her cheeks.
Gertrude, to whom this was a stale compliment, coming from Mr. Bruce, took no notice of it, but, rising, advanced to make her exit by the front-door, saying, "I will go across the piazza, Mr. Bruce, and send the ladies word that you are here."
"O, pray, don"t!" said he, putting himself in her way. "It would be cruel; I haven"t the slightest wish to see them." He so effectually prevented her, that she was unwillingly compelled to retreat from the door and resume her seat. As she did so, she took her work from her pocket, her countenance in the meantime expressing vexation.
Mr. Bruce looked triumphant.
"Miss Gertrude," said he, "will you oblige me by wearing these flowers in your hair to-day?"
"I do not wear gay flowers," replied Gertrude, without lifting her eyes from the piece of muslin on which she was employed.
Supposing this to be on account of her mourning (for she wore a plain black dress), he selected the white buds from the rest, and, presenting them to her, begged that, for his sake, she would display them in contrast with her dark silken braids.
"I am much obliged to you," said Gertrude; "I never saw more beautiful roses, but I am not accustomed to be so much dressed, and, believe me, you must excuse me."
"Then you won"t take my flowers?"
"Certainly I will, with pleasure," said she, rising, "if you will let me get a gla.s.s of water, and place them in the parlour, where we can all enjoy them."
"I did not cut my flowers, and bring them here for the benefit of the whole household," said Ben, in a half-offended tone. "If you won"t wear them, Miss Gertrude, I will offer them to somebody that will."
This, he thought, would alarm her, for his vanity was such that he attributed her behaviour wholly to coquetry.
"I will punish her," thought he, as he tied the roses together again, and arranged them for presentation to Kitty, who he knew would be flattered to receive them.
"Where"s f.a.n.n.y to-day," asked Gertrude, anxious to divert the conversation.
"I don"t know," answered Ben, which implied that he had no idea of talking about f.a.n.n.y.
"How attentive you are to your work!" said he, at last: "your eyes seemed nailed to it. I wish I were as attractive as that piece of muslin!"
"I wish you were as inoffensive," thought Gertrude.
"I do not think you take much pains to entertain me," added he, "when I"ve come here on purpose to see you."
"I thought you came by Mrs. Graham"s invitation," said Gertrude.
"And didn"t I have to court Kitty for an hour in order to get it?"
"If you obtained it by artifice," said Gertrude, smiling, "you do not deserve to be entertained."
"It is much easier to please Kitty than you," remarked Ben.
"Kitty is very amiable and pleasant," said Gertrude.
"Yes; but I"d give more for one smile from you than----"
Gertrude now interrupted him with, "Ah! here is an old friend coming to see us; please let me pa.s.s, Mr. Bruce?"
The gate at the end of the yard swung to as she spoke, and Ben, looking in that direction, saw the person whom Gertrude seemed desirous to go and meet.
"Don"t be in such a hurry to leave me!" said Ben; "that little crone, whose coming seems to give you so much satisfaction, can"t get here this half hour, at the rate she is travelling."
"She is an old friend," replied Gertrude, "I must go and welcome her."
Her countenance expressed so much earnestness that Mr. Bruce was ashamed to persist in his incivility, and, rising, permitted her to pa.s.s. Miss Patty Pace was over-joyed at seeing Gertrude, and commenced waving, in a theatrical manner, a huge feather fan, her favourite mode of salutation.
As she drew near, Miss Patty took her by both hands, and stood talking with her some minutes. They entered the house at the side door, and Ben, thus disappointed of Gertrude"s return, sallied into the garden in hopes to attract the notice of Kitty.
Ben Bruce had such confidence in the power of wealth and a high station in fashionable life that it never occurred to him to doubt that Gertrude would gladly accept his hand and fortune if they were placed at her disposal. Many a worldly-wise mother had sought his acquaintance; many a young lady of property and rank had received his attention with favour, and believing, as he did, that he had money enough to purchase. He determined to win Gertrude"s good opinion and affection; and although more interested in her than he was aware of himself, he at present made that his ultimate object. He felt conscious that as yet she had given no evidence of his success; and having resolved to resort to some new means of winning her, he, with a too common baseness, fixed upon a method which was calculated, if successful, to end in the mortification, if not the unhappiness, of a third party. He intended, by marked devotion to Kitty Ray, to excite the jealousy of Gertrude.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
TRUE POLITENESS.
A half-hour before dinner Mrs. Graham and her nieces, Mr. Bruce, his sister f.a.n.n.y, and Lieutenant Osborne, as they sat in the large room, had their curiosity much excited by the merriment which existed in Emily"s room. Gertrude"s clear laugh was distinguishable, and even Emily joined in the outburst, while another person appeared to be of the party, as a most singular voice mingled with the rest.
Kitty ran to the entry two or three times to listen, and at last returned with the announcement that Gertrude was coming down stairs with the very queen of witches. Presently Gertrude opened the door, which Kitty had slammed behind her, and ushered in Miss Patty Pace, who advanced with measured, mincing steps to Mrs. Graham, and, stopping in front of her, made a low curtsey.
"How do you do, ma"am?" said Mrs. Graham, half inclined to believe that Gertrude was playing off a joke upon her.
"This, I presume, is the mistress," said Miss Patty.
Mrs. Graham acknowledged her claim to that t.i.tle.
"A lady of presence!" said Miss Patty, to Gertrude, in an audible whisper, p.r.o.nouncing each syllable with a manner and emphasis peculiar to herself. Then, turning to Belle, who was shrinking into the shadow of a curtain, she approached her, held up both her hands in astonishment, and exclaimed, "Miss Isabella, as I still enjoy existence! and radiant, too, as the morning! Bless my heart! how your youthful charms have expanded!"
Belle had recognised Miss Pace the moment she entered the room, but was ashamed to acknowledge the acquaintance of so eccentric an individual, and would have still feigned ignorance, but Kitty now came forward, exclaiming, "Why, Miss Pace, where did you come from?"
"Miss Catharina," said Miss Pace, taking her hands in an ecstasy of astonishment, "_then you know me_! Blessings on your memory of an old friend!"
"Certainly, I knew you in a minute; you"re not so easily forgotten, I a.s.sure you. Belle, don"t you remember Miss Pace? It"s at your house I"ve always seen her."
"Oh, is it she?" said Belle, with a poor attempt to conceal the fact that she had any previous knowledge of a person who had been a frequent visitor at her father"s house, and was held in esteem by both her parents.
"I apprehend," said Miss Patty to Kitty, in the same loud whisper, "that she carries a proud heart." Then, without having appeared to notice the gentlemen, who were directly behind her, she added, "Sparks, I see Miss Catharina, young sparks! Whose?--yours or hers?"