"f.a.n.n.y," said she, "you must not make me laugh so; if Miss Clinton had seen us she would have been very much hurt."
"She has no business to wear your hat," said f.a.n.n.y, "and she shan"t."
"Yes, she shall," replied Gertrude; "she looks beautiful in it, I am delighted to have her wear it, and you must not intimate to her that it is mine."
The walk through the woods was delightful, and Gertrude and her young companion, in the quiet enjoyment of it, had almost forgotten that they were members of a gay party, when they suddenly came in sight of Kitty and Mr. Bruce. They were sitting at the foot of an old oak, Kitty earnestly engaged in the manufacture of an oak-wreath, which she was just fitting to her attendant"s hat; while he himself, when Gertrude first caught sight of him, was leaning against the tree in a careless att.i.tude. But as soon as he perceived their approach, he bent forward, inspected Kitty"s work, and when they came within hearing, was uttering a profusion of thanks and compliments, which he took care should reach Gertrude"s ears, and Kitty received with manifest pleasure--a pleasure which was still further enhanced by her perceiving that Gertrude had apparently no power to withdraw his attention from her. Poor, simple Kitty! she believed him honest while he bought her heart with counterfeits. "Miss Gertrude," said f.a.n.n.y, "I wish we could go into some pine woods, so that I could get some cones to make baskets and frames of."
"There are plenty of pines in that direction," said Gertrude, pointing with her finger.
"Why can"t we go and look for cones?" asked f.a.n.n.y; "we could get back by the time Belle Clinton reaches this place."
Gertrude and f.a.n.n.y started off, having first tied their bonnets to the branch of a tree. They were gone some time, for f.a.n.n.y found plenty of cones, but was at a loss how to carry them home. "I have thought," said she, at last; "I will run back and borrow brother Ben"s handkerchief; or, if he won"t let me have it, I"ll take my own bonnet and fill it full." Gertrude promised to await her return, and she ran off. When she came near the spot where she had left Kitty and Mr. Bruce, she heard several voices and loud laughter. Belle and the lieutenant had arrived, and they were having great sport about something. Belle was standing with the white cape bonnet in her hand. She had bent it completely out of shape, so as to give it the appearance of an old woman"s cap, had adorned the front with white-weed and dandelions, and finally pinned on a handkerchief to serve as a veil. She held it up on the end of the lieutenant"s cane, and was endeavouring to obtain a bid for Miss Flint"s bridal bonnet.
f.a.n.n.y listened a moment with an indignant countenance, then advanced with a bound, as if just running from the woods. Kitty caught her frock as she pa.s.sed, and exclaimed, "Why, f.a.n.n.y, are you here? Where"s Gertrude?"
"Oh, she"s in the pine woods!" replied f.a.n.n.y, "and I"m going back; she only sent me to get her hat, the sun"s so warm where we are."
"Ah, yes!" said Belle, "her Paris hat. Please give it to her, with our compliments."
"No, that isn"t hers," said f.a.n.n.y; "_that_ is Miss Emily"s. _This_ is hers;" and she laid her hand upon the straw head-dress which the gentlemen had but a moment before been a.s.suring Belle was vastly becoming, and, without ceremony, s.n.a.t.c.hed it from her head.
Belle"s eyes flashed angrily. "What do you mean?" said she; "you saucy little creature! Give me that hat!" and she stretched out her hand to take it.
"I shan"t do any such thing!" said f.a.n.n.y; "it"s Gertrude"s hat. She looked for it this afternoon, but concluded it was either lost or stolen, and so borrowed Miss Emily"s cape-bonnet; but she"ll be very glad to find it, and I"ll carry it to her. I rather think," said she, looking over her shoulder, as she ran off, "I rather think Miss Emily would be willing you should wear her bonnet home, if you"ll be careful, and not bend it."
A few moments of anger to Belle, laughter from Kitty and Mr. Bruce, and concealed amus.e.m.e.nt on Lieutenant Osborne"s part, and Gertrude came hastily from the woods, with the hat in her hand, f.a.n.n.y following her; and, taking advantage of Belle"s position, with her back towards her, resumed her pantomimic threats and insinuations. "Miss Clinton," said Gertrude, as she replaced the hat in her lap, "I am afraid f.a.n.n.y has been very rude in my name. I did not send her for either hat or bonnet, and shall be pleased to have you wear this as often as you like."
"I don"t want it," said Belle, scornfully; "I"d no idea it belonged to you."
"Certainly not; I am aware of it," said Gertrude. "But I trust that will not prevent you making use of it for to-day, at least." Without urging the matter further, she proposed that they should hasten on to the top of the hill, which they could not otherwise reach before sunset; and set the example by moving forward in that direction, f.a.n.n.y accompanying her, and busying herself as she went by stripping the decorations from Emily"s despised bonnet; Belle tying an embroidered handkerchief under her chin; and Mr. Bruce swinging on his arm the otherwise neglected hat.
Belle did not recover her temper during the evening; the rest found their excursion agreeable, and it was nearly dark when they reached the Thornton farm on their return. Here Gertrude left them, telling f.a.n.n.y that she had promised to stop and see Jenny Thornton, one of her Sunday-school cla.s.s, who was in a fever, and refusing to let her remain, as her mother might not wish her to enter the house, where several of the family were sick. About an hour after, as Gertrude was walking home in some haste, she was joined near Mr. Graham"s house by Mr. Bruce, who, with her hat still hanging on his arm, seemed to have been awaiting her return. She started on his abruptly joining her, for it was so dark that she did not at once recognise him, and supposed it might be a stranger.
"Miss Gertrude," said he, "I hope I don"t alarm you."
"Oh no," said she, rea.s.sured by the sound of his voice; "I did not know who it was."
He offered his arm, and she took it; for his recent devotion to Kitty had served in some degree to relieve her of any fear she had felt lest his attentions carried meaning with them; and concluding that he liked to play beau-general, she had no objection to his escorting her home.
"We had a very pleasant walk this evening," said he; "at least, I had.
Miss Kitty is a very entertaining companion."
"I think she is," replied Gertrude; "I like her frank, lively manners much."
"I am afraid you found f.a.n.n.y rather poor company. I should have joined you occasionally, but I could hardly find an opportunity to quit Miss Kitty, we were so much interested in what we were saying."
"f.a.n.n.y and I are accustomed to each other, and very happy together,"
said Gertrude.
"Do you know we have planned a delightful drive for to-morrow?"
"No; I was not aware of it."
"I suppose Miss Kay expects I shall ask her to go with me; but supposing, Miss Gertrude, I should give you the preference, and ask you, what should you say?"
"That I was much obliged to you, but had an engagement to take a drive with Miss Emily," replied Gertrude, promptly.
"Indeed!" said he, in a suppressed and provoked tone; "I thought you would like it; but Miss Kitty, I doubt not will accept. I will go in and ask her. Here is your hat."
"Thank you," said Gertrude, and would have taken it; but Ben still held it by one string, and said----
"Then you won"t go, Miss Gertrude?"
"My engagement with Miss Emily cannot be postponed on any account,"
answered Gertrude, thankful that she had so excellent a reason for declining.
"Nonsense!" said Mr. Bruce; "you could go with me if you chose; and if you don"t, I shall certainly invite Miss Kitty."
The weight he seemed to attach to this threat astonished Gertrude. "Can it be possible," thought she, "that he expects thus to pique and annoy me?" and she replied by saying, "I shall be happy if my declining prove the means of Kitty"s enjoying a pleasant drive; she is fond of variety, and has few opportunities here to indulge her taste."
They now entered the house. Mr. Bruce sought Kitty in the recess of the window, and Gertrude, not finding Emily present, stayed but a short time in the room--long enough, however, to observe Mr. Bruce"s exaggerated devotion to Kitty, which was marked by others beside himself. Kitty promised to accompany him the next day, and did so. Mrs. Graham, Mrs.
Bruce, Belle, and the lieutenant, went also in another vehicle, and Emily and Gertrude took a different direction, and driving white Charlie in the old-fashioned buggy, rejoiced in their quiet independence.
CHAPTER x.x.x.
VANITY.
Days and weeks pa.s.sed on, and no marked event took place in Mr. Graham"s household. The weather became intensely warm, and no more walks and drives were planned. The lieutenant left the city, and Isabel, who could neither endure with patience excessive heat nor want of society, grew more irritable than ever.
To Kitty, however, these summer days were fraught with interest. Mr.
Bruce visited constantly at the house, and had great influence upon her outward demeanour and her inward happiness, which fluctuated as his attentions were freely bestowed or altogether suspended. No wonder the poor girl was puzzled to understand one whose conduct was certainly inexplicable to any but those initiated into his motives. Believing, as he did, that Gertrude would in time show a disposition to win him back, he was anxious only to carry his addresses to Kitty to such a point as would excite a serious alarm in the mind of the poor _protegee_ of the Grahams, who dared to slight his proffered advances. Acting then as he did almost wholly with reference to Gertrude, it was only in her presence, or under such circ.u.mstances that he was sure it would reach her ears, that he manifested a marked interest in Kitty; and his behaviour was, therefore, in the highest degree, unequal, leading the warm-hearted Kitty to believe one moment that he felt for her almost the tenderness of a lover, and the next to suffer under the apprehension of having unconsciously wounded or offended him. Unfortunately, too, Mrs.
Graham took every opportunity to congratulate her upon her conquest, thereby increasing the simple girl"s confidence in the sincerity of Mr.
Bruce"s admiration.
Gertrude, whose eyes were soon opened to the existing state of things, was filled with apprehension on account of Kitty, for whose peace and welfare she felt great concern. The suspicions to which Mr. Bruce"s conduct gave rise were soon strengthened into convictions; for, on several occasions, after he had offered Kitty proofs of devotion, he tested their effect upon Gertrude by some attention to herself; intimating that she had it in her power to rob Kitty of all claim upon his favour.
Gertrude availed herself of every opportunity to acquaint him with the truth, that he could not render himself more odious in her eyes than by the use of such mean attempts to mortify her; but attributing her warmth to jealousy, which he desired to excite, the selfish young man persevered in his course of wickedness. As he only proffered his attentions, and made no offer of his heart and hand, Kitty, having forgotten that she had a few weeks back looked upon Gertrude as a rival, now chose her for her bosom friend; and the transparency of her character was such that she betrayed her secret to Gertrude. Though no one but Gertrude appeared to observe it, Kitty was wonderfully changed;--the gay, laughing, careless Kitty had now her fits of musing--her sunny face was subject to clouds, that flitted across it, and robbed it of all its brightness. If she found Gertrude sitting alone in her room she would approach, throw her arm around her, and talk on her favourite topic. She would relate the complimentary speeches and polite attentions of Mr. Bruce, talk about him for an hour, and question Gertrude as to her opinion of his merits. She would ask if Gertrude really supposed he meant all he said, and add, that of course she didn"t believe he did--it was all nonsense. And if Gertrude avowed the same opinion, and declared it was best not to trust his flatteries, poor Kitty"s face would fail, and she would give her reasons for _sometimes_ thinking he was sincere--he had such a _truthful, earnest_ way of speaking.
At last Mr. Bruce tried Gertrude"s firmness by offering to her acceptance a rich ring. Not a little surprised at his presumption, she declined it without ceremony, and the next day saw it on the finger of Kitty, who was eager to give an account of its presentation.
"And did you _accept_ it?" asked Gertrude, with such a look of astonishment, that Kitty observed it, and evaded an acknowledgment of having done so, by saying, with a blushing countenance, that she agreed to wear it a little while.
"I wouldn"t," said Gertrude.