A smile of joy illumined Marian"s face.
"Truly," she answered, after a short pause. "I see no objection to that plan. And, oh! Thurston," she said, holding out her hand, and looking at him with her face holy and beaming with affection, "do you know what fullness of life and comfort--what sweetness of rest and contentment I feel in your presence, when I can have that rightly?"
"My own dear Marian! Heaven hasten the day when we shall be forever united."
And he suddenly sprang from his horse--lifted her from her saddle, and holding her carefully above the sloppy path, folded her fondly to his bosom, pressed kisses on her lips, and then replaced her, saying:
"Dear Marian, forgive me! My heart was half breaking with its need to press you to itself! Now then, dearest, I shall consider it settled that I join your party to Washington. I shall call at Locust Hill and see Mrs. Waugh, inform her of my destination, and ask her permission to accompany her. By the way--when do you give your answer to that lady?"
"I shall ride over to the Hill to-morrow morning for that purpose."
"Very well, dearest. In that case I will also appoint the morning as my time of calling; so that I may have the joy of meeting you there."
They had by this time reached the verge of the forest and the cross-road where their paths divided. And here they bade a loving, lingering adieu to each other, and separated.
That evening Marian announced to Edith her decision to accompany Jacquelina to Washington City.
Edith approved the plan.
The next morning Marian left the house to go to Locust Hill, where, besides the family, she found Thurston already awaiting her.
Thurston was seated by Jacquelina, endeavoring, by his gay and brilliant sallies of wit and humor, to charm away the sullen sadness of the pale and petulant little beauty.
And, truth to tell, soon fitful, fleeting smiles broke over the little wan face--smiles that grew brighter and more frequent as she noticed the surly anxiety they gave to Dr. Grimshaw, who sat, like the dog in the manger, watching Thurston sunning himself in the light of eyes that never, by any chance, shone upon him, their rightful proprietor!
Never! for though Jacquelina had paled and waned, failed and faded, until she seemed more like a moonlight phantom than a form of flesh and blood--her spirit was unbowed, unbroken, and she had kept her oath of uncompromising enmity with fearful perseverance. Pet.i.tions, expostulations, prayers, threats, had been all in vain to procure one smile, one word, one glance of compliance or forgiveness. And the fate of Dr. Grimshaw, with his unwon bride, was like that of Tantalus. And now the inconceivable tortures of jealousy were about to be added to his other torments, for this man now sitting by his side, and basking in the sunshine of her smiles, was the all-praised Adonis who had won her maiden admiration months ago.
But Thurston soon put an end to his sufferings--not in consideration of his feelings, but because the young gentleman could not afford to lose or risk the chance of making one of the party which was to number Marian among its members. Therefore, with a light smile and careless bow, he left the side of Jacquelina and crossed over to Mrs. Waugh, with whom, also, he entered into a gay and bantering conversation, in the course of which Mrs. Waugh mentioned to him their purpose of going to Washington for a month or two.
It was then that, with an air of impromptu, Thurston informed her of his own contemplated journey and voyage, and of his intention to go to Baltimore by way of Washington.
"And when do you leave here?" asked Mrs. Waugh.
"I thought of starting on Wednesday morning."
"The very day that we shall set out--why can"t we travel in company?"
asked Henrietta, socially.
"I should be charmed, indeed--delighted! And nothing shall prevent me having that honor and pleasure, if Mrs. Waugh will permit my attendance."
"Why, my dear Thurston, to be sure I will--but don"t waste fine speeches on your uncle"s old wife. How do you travel?"
"As far as Washington I shall go on horseback, with a mounted groom to bring back the horses, when I proceed on my journey by stage to Baltimore."
"On horseback! Now that is excellent--that is really providential, as it falls out--for here is my Hebe, whom I have coaxed to be of the party, and who will have to perform the journey also on horseback, and you will make an admirable cavalier for her!"
Thurston turned and bowed to Marian, and expressed, in courtly terms, the honor she would confer, and the pleasure she would give, in permitting him to serve her. And no one, to have seen him, would have dreamed that the subject had ever before been mentioned between them.
Marian blushed and smiled, and expressing her thanks, accepted his offered escort.
These preliminaries being settled, Thurston soon after arose and took leave.
Marian remained some time longer to arrange some little preparatory matters with Mrs. Waugh, and then bade them good-by, and hastened homeward.
But she saw Thurston walking his horse up and down the forest-path, and impatiently waiting for her.
Dr. Grimshaw was very much dissatisfied; and no sooner had Marian left the home, and left him alone with Mrs. Waugh and Jacquelina, than he turned to the elder lady, and said, with some asperity:
"I think it would have been well, Mrs. Waugh, if you had consulted the other members of your party before making so important an addition to it."
"And I think it would be better, Dr. Grimshaw, if you would occupy your valuable time and attention with affairs that fall more immediately within your own province," said Henrietta, loftily, as she would sometimes speak.
Dr. Grimshaw deigned no reply. He closed his mouth with a spasmodic snap, and sat ruminating--the very picture of wretchedness. He was, indeed, to be pitied! For no patience, no kindness, no wooing could win from his bride one smile. That very afternoon, under the combined goadings of exasperated self-love and poignant jealousy, Dr. Grimshaw sought an interview with Mrs. L"Oiseau, and urged her, in the most strenuous manner, to exert her maternal influence in bringing her daughter to terms.
And Mrs. L"Oiseau sent for Jacquelina, to have a talk with her. But not all her arguments, entreaties, or even tears, could prevail with the obstinate bride to relax one single degree of her unforgiving antagonism to her detested bridegroom.
"Mother," she said, with sorrowful bitterness, "you are well now; indeed, you never were so ill as I was led to believe; and you are independent. I parted with my only hope of happiness in life to render you so; I sold myself in a formal marriage to be the legal medium of endowing Dr. Grimshaw with a certain landed estate. Even into that measure I was deceived--no more of that! it crazes me! The conditions are all fulfilled; he will have the property, and you are independent.
And now he has no further claim upon me, and no power over me!"
"He has, Jacquelina; and it is only Dr. Grimshaw"s forbearance that permits you to indulge in this wicked whim."
"His forbearance! Oh! hasn"t he been forbearing, though!" she exclaimed, with a mocking laugh.
"Yes; he has, little as you are disposed to acknowledge it. You do not seem to know that he can compel your submission!"
"Can he!" she hissed, drawing her breath sharply through her clenched teeth, and clutching her fingers convulsively, while a white ring gleamed around the blue iris of her dilated eyes. "Let him try! let him drive me to desperation, and then learn how spirits dare to escape! But he will not do that. Mimmy! he reads me better than you do; he knows that he must not urge me beyond my powers of endurance. No, mother! Let him take my uncle into his counsels again, if he pleases; let them combine all their ingenuity, and wickedness, and power, and bring them all to bear on me at once; let them do their worst--they shall not gain one concession from me; not one smile, not one word, not one single look of tolerance--so help me heaven! And they know it, mother!--they know it! And why? You are secured from their malice; now they can turn no screws upon my heart-strings!--and I am free! They know it, mother--they know it, if you do not."
"But, Jacquelina, this is a very, very wicked life to lead! You are living in a state of mortal sin while you persist in this shocking rebellion against the authority and just rights of your husband."
"He is not my husband! that I utterly deny! I have never made him such!
There was nothing in our nominal marriage to give him that claim. It was a mere legal form, for a mercenary purpose. It was a wicked and shameful subterfuge; a sacrilegious desecration of G.o.d"s holy altar! but in its wickedness heaven knows I had little will! I was deluded and disturbed; facts were misrepresented to me, threats were made that could never have been executed; my fears were excited for your life; my affections were wrought upon; I was driven out of my senses even before I did consent to be his nominal wife--the legal sumpter-mule to carry him an estate. I promised nothing more, and I have kept all my promises. It is over! it is over! it is done! and it cannot be undone! But I never--never will forgive that man for the part he played in the drama!"
"_Ave Maria, Mater Dolorosa!_ Was ever a mother so sorrowful as I? Holy saints and angels! how you shock me. Don"t you know, wretched child, that you are committing deadly sin? Don"t you know, alas! the holy church would refuse you its communion?"
"Let it! I will be excommunicated before I will give Dr. Grimshaw one tolerant glance! I will risk the eternal rather than fall into the nearer perdition!"
"Holy Mary save her! Don"t you know, most miserable child! that such is your condition, that if you were to die now your soul would go to burning flames?"
"Ha! ha! Where do you think it is now, Mimmy?"
"You are mad! You don"t know what you"re talking about! And, alas! you are half an infidel, I know, for you don"t believe in h.e.l.l!"
"Yes, I do, Mimmy! Oh! yes, indeed I do! If ever my faith was shaken in that article of belief, it is firm enough now! It is more than re-established, for, look you, Mimmy! I believe in heaven, but I know of h.e.l.l!"
"I"m very glad you do, my dear. And I hope you will meditate much upon it, and it may lead you to change your course in regard to Dr. Grimshaw."