He drew a chair to her side, seated himself and, with his arm around her waist, told her of his new-born happiness.
She congratulated him fervently and earnestly; and then, returning confidence for confidence, told him of her engagement to the young minister of Wendover.
For rumor, in Mr. Lyle"s and Miss Lytton"s case also, had antic.i.p.ated the facts, and had reported their betrothal all over the country long before it was announced to their nearest friends.
Alden Lytton, with all his approving heart, wished his sister joy in her prospective union with the worthy young clergyman.
And then the two, talking together over their future, decided that they must write at once to their Uncle John Lytton and inform him of their engagements.
Alden undertook to write a letter on the part of both his sister and himself that night.
And, on further discussion, it was decided that at the close of her visit to Blue Cliff Hall, Laura should go to Lytton Lodge to make a visit to her relatives there.
The entrance of Emma Cavendish put an end to the discussion, and was the occasion of new congratulations.
The next morning Madam Cavendish sent for Alden Lytton and Emma Cavendish to come up to her room together.
And she then and there read them a grave and affectionate little lecture upon the duties and responsibilities of an engaged couple, gave them her blessing and dismissed them to go to church.
That Sunday morning every one at Blue Cliffs knew of the betrothal of Mr. Lytton to the young mistress of the Hall.
And on Monday morning all the county knew it just as well as they had known it a month before it happened.
And every one said over once more what they had already said so often--that it was a great pity the daughter of the late Governor Cavendish should be allowed to throw herself and her wealth away upon a penniless young fortune-hunter like Alden Lytton, and all for the want of a proper guardian at hand to restrain her. Old Madam Cavendish, they said, was no better than none at all. And really the Orphans" Court ought to interfere, etc.
But the very bitterest of the malcontents were parents with marriageable sons of their own, any one of which might one day have aspired to the hand of the heiress.
Little cared the happy lovers what their neighbors might think about their betrothal.
They parted that morning, not with tears, but with bright smiles and promises of frequent correspondence.
Alden Lytton stopped in Wendover to take leave of his friend, Mr. Lyle, and to announce the betrothal of Miss Cavendish and himself.
And then, scarcely waiting to receive the congratulations of the minister, he hurried off to catch his train for Richmond.
An hour after this Mr. Lyle had an interview with Victor Hartman, and delighted that poor fellow"s soul with the announcement of the betrothal.
And on the same day Mr. Lyle, commissioned by Victor Hartman, went to Blue Cliff Hall and requested an interview with Madam Cavendish.
The old lady, thinking this was the usual pastoral call from the minister, sent word for him to come up to her room.
And there she received him alone, and after the usual greetings opened the conversation herself by informing him of the betrothal of her granddaughter to Mr. Alden Lytton.
"It was upon that very subject that I came to see you, madam, on the part of the young gentleman"s guardian," replied the minister, and then and there announced the fact that Mr. Alden Lytton"s "guardian" would be prepared to pay down to his ward one hundred thousand dollars on the day of his marriage with Miss Cavendish.
"Emma has money enough," said the old lady; "but that indeed is very liberal. I never could understand about that secret guardian, friend, patron, or whatever you might call him, of the young Lyttons," she added, as if she would have liked some information on the subject.
"No, madam, and I am sorry that I am not yet at liberty to tell you more about him. This, however, I may say, that he is able and willing to keep his word."
And so that interview ended.
CHAPTER XXIX.
ON TO MEET HIS FATE.
Meanwhile, Alden Lytton sped on toward the city. He traveled by the express train, which stopped at but few stations.
About two o"clock in the afternoon the train made its longest pause, at a little station about midway between Wendover and Richmond, where it stopped twenty minutes for dinner.
Many of the pa.s.sengers left the train to stretch their cramped limbs or to satisfy their hunger.
Alden Lytton got out and went into the waiting-room, when the first form his eye fell upon was that of Mary Grey.
She looked pale, weary and hara.s.sed, as she sat alone on one of the benches, with a small carpet-bag at her feet.
Now Alden Lytton"s heart was so full of happiness that it expanded with affection for the whole human race, and even warmed with sympathy for this erring woman, who had once possessed and forfeited his faithful boyish love.
And now, in his compa.s.sion, he went to her and, smiling very kindly, he said:
"Why, Mrs. Grey! I am so surprised to see you here, and alone too!" he added.
"When, since I left Blue Cliff Hall, have you ever seen me when I have not been alone?" she inquired, with a sad smile.
"True," he answered, gently. "Even in a church, or a crowded parlor, you have still been ever alone. But why should this be so, while you have so many faithful friends? Miss Cavendish I know is--"
She put up her hand to stop him. She turned paler than before, and trembled as with a chill. For she had loved this man _only_, of all that she had fascinated and fooled; she had loved him _utterly_; and even now, when she bitterly hated him, she could not bear to hear her rival"s name from his lips.
""The heart knoweth its own bitterness,"" she murmured, in faltering tones. "Let us talk of something else. I came down here to bring some funds that I had collected from charitable friends for a poor family who were burned out near this village. And now I am going back by this train. Pray pardon my nervousness! But the crowd and bustle and excitement of a railway station always does make me very nervous."
"You need refreshment. Come to the table with me and have something.
There is yet plenty of time," he said, kindly, offering her his arm.
He felt so safe and happy in his wisely placed affection and firmly based engagement to Emma Cavendish that he could afford to be very kind to this poor woman, although she had once possessed--and by her conduct forever forfeited--his honest youthful love.
He gave her his arm and led her away to the dining-room, where a crowd was collected at the refreshment table.
There was a whisper between two attendants as they pa.s.sed by.
"Hush! That is the young fellow she has been waiting here to meet. It is a runaway marriage, bless you!"
This whisper reached the ears of Alden Lytton and Mary Grey.
Alden Lytton paid no attention to it, thinking that it referred to some "levanting" youth and girl who had chosen this station for their escapade.