And when Mrs. Cavendish looked up surprised indeed, as well as somewhat alarmed, Emma began and told her of the letter she had received from Mrs. Fanning; of her widowhood and dest.i.tution, and of her recent arrival in New York.
"All this is very distressing, my dear Emma, but you see in it only the natural consequences of a low marriage," said the old aristocrat.
"But the marriage is broken by death, dear grandma, and the error is atoned for by much suffering," said Emma, gently.
"Well, my dear, what does the poor woman want us to do?" inquired Mrs.
Cavendish.
"She asks nothing, grandma. She simply writes to me, her sister"s child--"
"Her _half_-sister"s child!" haughtily interrupted the old lady.
"It is the same thing, grandma. Her half-sister"s child, and her only living relative--"
"Her only living relative?" again interrupted the old lady. "Where is her own misguided daughter?"
"Supposed to be dead, dear grandma. Certainly dead to her," said Emma, sadly.
"Well, go on, child; go on."
"She writes to me, I say, and tells me of her situation--widowed, childless, homeless and utterly dest.i.tute in a strange city; but she asks nothing--suggests nothing."
"Well, and what would you do--you, her only living relative?" inquired the ancient dame in a tone approaching sarcasm.
"I would restore to her all that she has lost, if I could. I would give her back husband, daughter, home and competence," said Emma.
"But you can"t do it any more than you can give her back her lost caste," interrupted the old lady.
Emma felt discouraged but did not yield her point.
"No, dear grandma," she answered, sorrowfully, "I can not give her back her husband, her child, or her wealth; but I can give my mother"s suffering sister a home and a friend."
Madam Cavendish lowered her gold-rimmed spectacles from her cap frills to her eyes, placed her lace-mittened hands on the arms of her chair and looked straight and steadily into the face of her granddaughter.
It was extremely disheartening, and Emma dropped her eyes before that severe gaze and bowed her head meekly.
But Emma, though she was the young girl, was in the right; and Madam Cavendish, though she was an ancient and venerable dame, was in the wrong.
Emma knew this quite well, and in the argument that ensued she lovingly, respectfully, yet unflinchingly, maintained her point.
At length Madam Cavendish yielded, saying, scornfully: "Well, my dear, it is more your affair than mine. Invite her here if you will. I wash my hands of it. Only don"t ask me to be intimate with the inn-keeper"s widow; for I won"t. And that"s all about it."
"My dear grandma, you shall never see or hear of her, if you do not like to do so. You seldom leave your two rooms. And she shall never enter either unless you send for her," answered Emma.
"So be it then, my dear. And now let me go to sleep. I always want to go to sleep after an argument," said Madam Cavendish, closing her eyes and sinking back in her arm-chair.
Emma Cavendish stooped and kissed her, and then left the room.
In fifteen minutes after she had written and dispatched to the office at Wendover a telegram to this effect:
"BLUE CLIFFS, April 29th, 18--
"DEAR AUNT:--Come home to me here as soon as possible. I will write to-day. EMMA CAVENDISH."
And in the course of that day she did write a kind and comforting letter to the bereaved and suffering woman, expressing much sympathy with her in her affliction, inviting her to come and live at Blue Cliffs for the rest of her life, and promising all that an affectionate niece could do to make her life easy and pleasant.
Miss Cavendish had but just finished this letter, when Mr. Craven Kyte was announced.
Emma, who was always kind to the ward of her late father, at once received him and sent for Electra to help to entertain him.
But notwithstanding the presence of two beautiful girls, one the fairest blonde, the other the brightest brunette, and both kind and affable in their manners to him, the young man was restless and anxious, until at length, with fierce blushes and faltering tones, he expressed a hope that Mrs. Grey was well, and made an inquiry if she were in.
Electra laughed.
Emma told him that Mrs. Grey had gone for change of air to Charlottesville, and would be absent for some time. She also added--although the young man had not once thought of inquiring for Miss Lytton--that Laura had likewise gone to visit her uncle"s family at Lytton Lodge.
The foolish young victim of the widow"s false wiles looked very much disappointed and depressed, yet had sense enough left him to remember to say that, as he himself was on the road to Perch Point and should take Lytton Lodge on his way, he would be happy to convey any letter or message from the ladies of Blue Cliffs to Miss Lytton.
Emma thanked him and availed herself of his offer by sending a letter, as we have seen.
And then she went about the house, attended by old Moll, selecting and arranging rooms for her new-expected guests.
The next afternoon she was quite surprised by another call from Craven Kyte. He was shown into the parlor, where she sat at work with Electra.
"You have come back quickly; but we are glad to see you," she said, as she arose to shake hands with him.
"Yes, miss," he answered, after bowing to her and to Electra; "yes, miss, I reached Perch Point last night, and I left it early this morning. In going I called at Lytton Lodge and delivered your letter, miss."
"The family at the lodge are well, I hope."
"All well, miss. And as I pa.s.sed by the gate this morning the man Taters, who was at work on the lawn, told me that Mr. Alden and Miss Laura Lytton would leave for this place at noon."
"Then they will be here to-night," said Electra.
"Yes, miss."
"Will you stay and spend the afternoon and evening with us, Mr. Kyte?
Shall I ring and have your horse put up?" inquired Miss Cavendish.
"No, thank you, miss. I must get back to Wendover to-night. Fact is, I"m on the wing again," said the young man, stammering and blushing.
"Business of importance calls me to--to Charlottesville, miss. So if you should have a letter or a message to send to--to Mrs. Grey I should be happy to take it."
Emma Cavendish and Electra Coroni looked at each other in comic surprise.
"Why, you must be an amateur postman, Mr. Kyte! To fetch and carry letters seems to be your mission on earth," laughed Electra.