Both Venetia and her worthy host felt that the present subject of conversation was not agreeable to Lady Annabel, and it was changed.
They fell upon more gracious topics, and in spite of this somewhat sullen commencement the meeting was quite as delightful as they antic.i.p.ated. Lady Annabel particularly exerted herself to please, and, as was invariably the case under such circ.u.mstances with this lady, she was eminently successful; she apparently endeavoured, by her remarkable kindness to her daughter, to atone for any unpleasant feeling which her previous manner might for an instant have occasioned. Venetia watched her beautiful and affectionate parent, as Lady Annabel now dwelt with delight upon the remembrance of their happy home, and now recurred to the anxiety she naturally felt about her daughter"s approaching presentation, with feelings of love and admiration, which made her accuse herself for the recent rebellion of her heart. She thought only of her mother"s sorrows, and her devotion to her child; and, grateful for the unexpected course of circ.u.mstances which seemed to be leading every member of their former little society to honour and happiness, she resolved to persist in that career of duty and devotion to her mother, from which it seemed to her she had never deviated for a moment but to experience sorrow, misfortune, and remorse. Never did Venetia receive her mother"s accustomed embrace and blessing with more responsive tenderness and grat.i.tude than this night. She banished Cadurcis and his poems from her thoughts, confident that, so long as her mother approved neither of her continuing his acquaintance, nor perusing his writings, it was well that the one should be a forgotten tie, and the other a sealed book.
CHAPTER VIII.
Among the intimate acquaintances of Lady Annabel"s brother was the n.o.bleman who had been a minister during the American war, and who had also been the guardian of Lord Cadurcis, of whom, indeed, he was likewise a distant relative. He had called with his wife on Lady Annabel, after meeting her and her daughter at her brother"s, and had cultivated her acquaintance with great kindness and a.s.siduity, so that Lady Annabel had found it impossible to refuse his invitation to dinner.
This dinner occurred a few days after the visit of the Herberts to the Bishop, and that excellent personage, her own family, and some others equally distinguished, but all of the ministerial party, were invited to meet her. Lady Annabel found herself placed at table between a pompous courtier, who, being a gourmand, was not very prompt to disturb his enjoyment by conversation, and a young man whom she found very agreeable, and who at first, indeed, attracted her attention by his resemblance to some face with which she felt she was familiar, and yet which she was not successful in recalling. His manners were remarkably frank and ingenuous, yet soft and refined. Without having any peculiar brilliancy of expression, he was apt and fluent, and his whole demeanour characterised by a gentle modesty that was highly engaging. Apparently he had travelled a great deal, for he more than once alluded to his experience of foreign countries; but this was afterwards explained by Lady Annabel discovering, from an observation he let fall, that he was a sailor. A pa.s.sing question from an opposite guest also told her that he was a member of parliament. While she was rather anxiously wishing to know who he might be, and congratulating herself that one in whose favour she was so much prepossessed should be on the right side, their host saluted him from the top of the table, and said, "Captain Cadurcis, a gla.s.s of wine."
The countenance was now explained. It was indeed Lord Cadurcis whom he resembled, though his eyes were dark blue, and his hair light brown.
This then was that cousin who had been sent to sea to make his fortune, and whom Lady Annabel had a faint recollection of poor Mrs.
Cadurcis once mentioning. George Cadurcis had not exactly made his fortune, but he had distinguished himself in his profession, and especially in Rodney"s victory, and had fought his way up to the command of a frigate. The frigate had recently been paid off, and he had called to pay his respects to his n.o.ble relative with the hope of obtaining his interest for a new command. The guardian of his cousin, mortified with the conduct of his hopeful ward, was not very favourably impressed towards any one who bore the name of Cadurcis; yet George, with no pretence, had a winning honest manner that made friends; his lordship took a fancy to him, and, as he could not at the moment obtain him a ship, he did the next best thing for him in his power; a borough was vacant, and he put him into parliament.
"Do you know," said Lady Annabel to her neighbour, "I have been fancying all dinner time that we had met before; but I find it is that you only resemble one with whom I was once acquainted."
"My cousin!" said the Captain; "he will be very mortified when I go home, if I tell him your ladyship speaks of his acquaintance as one that is past."
"It is some years since we met," said Lady Annabel, in a more reserved tone.
"Plantagenet can never forget what he owes to you," said Captain Cadurcis. "How often has he spoken to me of you and Miss Herbert! It was only the other night; yes! not a week ago; that he made me sit up with him all night, while he was telling stories of Cherbury: you see I am quite familiar with the spot," he added, smiling.
"You are very intimate with your cousin, I see," said Lady Annabel.
"I live a great deal with him," said George Cadurcis. "You know we had never met or communicated; and it was not Plantagenet"s fault, I am sure; for of all the generous, amiable, lovable beings, Cadurcis is the best I ever met with in this world. Ever since we knew each other he has been a brother to me; and though our politics and opinions are so opposed, and we naturally live in such a different circle, he would have insisted even upon my having apartments in his house; nor is it possible for me to give you the slightest idea of the delicate and unceasing kindness I experience from him. If we had lived together all our lives, it would be impossible to be more united."
This eulogium rather softened Lady Annabel"s heart; she even observed, "I always thought Lord Cadurcis naturally well disposed; I always hoped he would turn out well; but I was afraid, from what I heard, he was much changed. He shows, however, his sense and good feeling in selecting you for his friend; for you are his natural one," she added, after a momentary pause.
"And then you know," he continued, "it is so purely kind of him; for of course I am not fit to be a companion for Cadurcis, and perhaps, as far as that, no one is. Of course we have not a thought in common. I know nothing but what I have picked up in a rough life; and he, you know, is the cleverest person that ever lived, at least I think so."
Lady Annabel smiled.
"Well, he is very young," she observed, "much your junior, Captain Cadurcis; and I hope he will yet prove a faithful steward of the great gifts that G.o.d has given him."
"I would stake all I hold dear," said the Captain, with great animation, "that Cadurcis turns out well. He has such a good heart.
Ah! Lady Annabel, if he be now and then a little irregular, only think of the temptations that a.s.sail him. Only one-and-twenty, his own master, and all London at his feet. It is too much for any one"s head.
But say or think what the world may, I know him better than they do; and I know there is not a finer creature in existence. I hope his old friends will not desert him," added Captain Cadurcis, with a smile which, seemed to deprecate the severity of Lady Annabel; "for in spite of all his fame and prosperity, perhaps, after all, this is the time when he most needs them."
"Very possibly," said her ladyship rather dryly.
While the mother was engaged in this conversation with her neighbour respecting her former interesting acquaintance, such was the fame of Lord Cadurcis then in the metropolis, that he also formed the topic of conversation at another part of the table, to which the daughter was an attentive listener. The tone in which he was spoken of, however, was of a very different character. While no one disputed his genius, his principles, temper, and habits of life were submitted to the severest scrutiny; and it was with blended feelings of interest and astonishment that Venetia listened to the detail of wild opinions, capricious conduct, and extravagant and eccentric behaviour ascribed to the companion of her childhood, who had now become the spoiled child of society. A shrewd gentleman, who had taken an extremely active part in this discussion, inquired of Venetia, next to whom he was seated, whether she had read his lordship"s last poem. He was extremely surprised when Venetia answered in the negative; but he seized the opportunity of giving her an elaborate criticism on the poetical genius of Cadurcis. "As for his style," said the critic, "no one can deny that is his own, and he will last by his style; as for his philosophy, and all these wild opinions of his, they will pa.s.s away, because they are not genuine, they are not his own, they are borrowed. He will outwrite them; depend upon it, he will. The fact is, as a friend of mine observed the other day, Herbert"s writings have turned his head. Of course you could know nothing about them, but there are wonderful things in them, I can tell you that."
"I believe it most sincerely," said Venetia.
The critic stared at his neighbour. "Hush!" said he, "his wife and daughter are here. We must not talk of these things. You know Lady Annabel Herbert? There she is; a very fine woman too. And that is his daughter there, I believe, that dark girl with a turned-up nose. I cannot say she warrants the poetical address to her:
My precious pearl the false and glittering world Has ne"er polluted with, its garish light!
She does not look much like a pearl, does she? She should keep in solitude, eh?"
The ladies rose and relieved Venetia from her embarra.s.sment.
After dinner Lady Annabel introduced George Cadurcis to her daughter; and, seated by them both, he contrived without effort, and without the slightest consciousness of success, to confirm the pleasing impression in his favour which he had already made, and, when they parted, it was even with a mutual wish that they might meet again.
CHAPTER IX.
It was the night after the drawing-room. Lord Cadurcis was at Brookes"
dining at midnight, having risen since only a few hours. Being a malcontent, he had ceased to attend the Court, where his original reception had been most gracious, which he had returned by some factious votes, and a caustic lampoon.
A party of young men entered, from the Court Ball, which in those days always terminated at midnight, whence the guests generally proceeded to Ranelagh; one or two of them seated themselves at the table at which Cadurcis was sitting. They were full of a new beauty who had been presented. Their violent and even extravagant encomiums excited his curiosity. Such a creature had never been seen, she was peerless, the most radiant of acknowledged charms had been dimmed before her.
Their Majesties had accorded to her the most marked reception. A Prince of the blood had honoured her with his hand. Then they began to expatiate with fresh enthusiasm on her unparalleled loveliness.
"O Cadurcis," said a young n.o.ble, who was one of his extreme admirers, "she is the only creature I ever beheld worthy of being one of your heroines."
"Whom are you talking about?" asked Cadurcis in a rather listless tone.
"The new beauty, of course."
"And who may she be?"
"Miss Herbert, to be sure. Who speaks or thinks of any one else?"
"What, Ve----, I mean Miss Herbert?" exclaimed Cadurcis, with no little energy.
"Yes. Do you know her?"
"Do you mean to say--" and Cadurcis stopped and rose from the table, and joined the party round the fire. "What Miss Herbert is it?" he added, after a short pause.
"Why _the_ Miss Herbert; Herbert"s daughter, to be sure. She was presented to-day by her mother.
"Lady Annabel?"
"The same."
"Presented to-day!" said Cadurcis audibly, yet speaking as it were to himself. "Presented to-day! Presented! How strange!"
"So every one thinks; one of the strangest things that ever happened,"
remarked a bystander.
"And I did not even know they were in town," continued Cadurcis, for, from his irregular hours, he had not seen his cousin since the party of yesterday. He began walking up and down the room, muttering, "Masham, Weymouth, London, presented at Court, and I know nothing. How life changes! Venetia at Court, my Venetia!" Then turning round and addressing the young n.o.bleman who had first spoken to him, he asked "if the ball were over."
"Yes; all the world are going to Ranelagh. Are you inclined to take a round?"