exclaimed Algernon, petulantly. "You ought to promise to discard the fellow at once when you know how we object to your marrying him."
"I have promised our father not to marry Captain Headland without his sanction, and let me entreat you to rest satisfied with that," answered Julia, looking out anxiously for the return of the servant.
"But I want to be satisfied that you never will marry him," exclaimed Algernon. "It is still more important, as Harry has taken it into his head to fall in love with this pretty little protege of our cousins, and he is such a determined fellow that I should not be surprised if he marries her notwithstanding all opposition."
"I am not surprised that Harry should have fallen in love with her, for she is a lovely girl, and every time I have seen her I have admired her more and more: her love and devotion to our poor cousins is most admirable; but still even she would not consent to marry Harry without our father"s permission, and would not, I think, act in direct opposition to our parents."
"Whether he does or does not, that will not alter your position with regard to Headland," said Algernon, returning to the subject from which Julia had hoped to escape. "Harry would raise his wife to his own station; you will be lowered by marrying a man like Headland."
"That is impossible," exclaimed Julia, indignantly. "I should be raised to the station which he has gained by his courage and gallantry; no lady in the land could be degraded by marrying him. I did not wish to say this to you, Algernon," she added, seeing the flush of anger rising on his pale brow.
"I see how it will be," he said, after he had recovered from another fit of coughing, "you will prove as obstinate as Harry."
Fortunately the servant returned with the flowers, which the poor invalid let drop by his side after looking at them for a moment. Julia signed to the man to wheel her brother home, for she felt very anxious at the change she had observed since they left the house. He with difficulty reached his room, but never again left it.
Julia, who, since Harry went away, had frequently ridden over to Downside, wrote to Miss Jane, sending the carriage, and asking her to come to Texford. Notwithstanding the neglect with which she and her sister had been treated, sympathising with Julia and Lady Castleton in their grief, she immediately complied. She did her utmost to comfort her cousins, while she faithfully delivered the Gospel message to poor Algernon, wondering that he should be so utterly ignorant of its tenor and object.
Lady Castleton again wrote to Sir Ralph, but when he arrived Algernon had ceased to breathe.
Miss Jane had returned to Downside in the morning. Brave as she was, she did not wish to encounter Sir Ralph. Sir Ralph exhibited no overwhelming grief at the loss of his eldest son; his thoughts seemed immediately to centre on Harry.
"We must write and have him home at once," he said to Lady Castleton.
"I will get him into parliament, and with his nautical experience, he will be able to make a figure on all naval matters, and if he follows my advice, he must inevitably become a leading man. I hope he will have got over his foolish fancy for that pretty girl at our cousins. He must be kept out of her way, and we must take care that he does not come to Texford. You and Julia must do your best to amuse him in London as soon as he arrives. I have written to Fancourt, and he will arrange about his coming home at the Admiralty."
Julia was still able to remain at Texford after Algernon"s death, as neither she nor her mother could mix in London society. Feeling sure that Harry would prove restive, and not willingly enter into his father"s plans, she did not look forward to his arrival with the satisfaction she might otherwise have done. In her heart she could not wish him to give up May, whom she herself already loved with the affection of a sister.
She had one day ridden over to Downside soon after Algernon"s death, when, the post arriving, a letter was put into Miss Jane"s hands. As she read it, the expression of her countenance changed; it first appeared as if she was about to give way to tears, and then a.s.sumed a firm and determined look.
"I must not conceal the contents of this letter from you, Julia, nor can I from Mary and May."
May, turning pale, gazed anxiously at Miss Jane; the thought that the letter had reference to Harry crossed her mind. She gasped for breath.
"What is it, Jane?" asked Miss Mary, in a calm tone. "From whom is the letter?"
"From Mr Shallard; he writes that the M-- bank, in which most of our property is invested, has failed, and he fears that but a small portion will be saved."
"Oh, how terrible," exclaimed Julia.
"Not terrible, dear Julia," said Miss Mary, "though trying. I grieve for others more than for ourselves," and she turned her sightless...o...b.. towards May. "It will be very sad to have to give up Downside; and oh, dear May, it is sadder still to think that you will be so ill provided for."
"Oh, do not grieve for me, dear ladies," exclaimed May, going to Miss Mary"s side, and taking her hand. "Perhaps you will not be compelled to leave Downside. I will work for you with heart and hand; if you have to dismiss your servants, I will serve you instead. I can attend to the house, and to the garden too; surely you will then be able to live on here."
"My dear, dear child," exclaimed Miss Mary, "I am sure you will do all you can, but you would soon overtax your strength. We must take time to consider what may be necessary to do."
"I am sure our dear May will not fail us. As you say, Mary, we must take time to consider, and, at all events, we must be resigned to G.o.d"s will," said Miss Jane.
"Oh, how I wish that I could help you," exclaimed Julia. "Surely papa will be ready to a.s.sist you, his nearest relatives, and I am confident that mamma will gladly do so."
"We feel grateful to you, Julia, for your sympathy, but we must not expect a.s.sistance from others. Mr Shallard says that our property is not entirely gone. As I am thankful to say that we have lived within our income, we may have enough to support us in our old age, without relying on charity," answered Miss Jane, with a slight tinge of pride in the tone of her voice.
Julia was at length compelled to return to Texford. She was struck with the appearance of cheerfulness which May maintained, while she did everything she could think of to cheer the spirits of her friends.
On her return home, Julia told her mother what had occurred.
"I fear that Sir Ralph will not even offer to a.s.sist our cousins; however I will write to him, and suggest the propriety of his doing so."
Her mother"s answer did not give Julia any strong hopes that she would be successful.
Lady Castleton herself drove over to condole with her cousins. They received her in their usual manner, and not till she introduced the subject did they speak of their loss.
"We are much obliged to you for your sympathy," answered Miss Jane, "but we do not contemplate leaving Downside for the present. We have dismissed our servants with the exception of our faithful attendant, Susan, who insists on remaining, and though we may be occasionally pinched, it is only what our poorer neighbours constantly are, and we should be ashamed not to bear it as well as they do."
"My good cousins, you are indeed wonderful women," exclaimed Lady Castleton. "I suspect that had such a misfortune happened to us, we should have broken down completely."
"You see we know in whom we trust, and He supports us," remarked Miss Mary. "You would find the same support were you to seek it."
Lady Castleton did not quite comprehend her cousin"s remark. Her heart, however, was softened by her son"s loss, and feeling compa.s.sion for her cousins, she frequently drove over to see them, and sent presents of fruit and vegetables, believing that she was thus affording them all the a.s.sistance in her power. It did not occur to her to limit her own expenses, and thus have the power of offering them more substantial aid.
Julia, however, was anxious to do so, but her own allowance was small, and she found that she had saved so little that she was ashamed to offer it, especially as she doubted whether her cousins would accept the gift.
May carried out her intentions as far as she could. Miss Jane would not let her work as hard as she wished, and she herself and Susan attended to the household affairs, while they left May to take charge of Miss Mary.
May, with the numerous duties which now employed her time, was unable to get down as frequently as formerly to see Dame Halliburt and Adam, though the dame never pa.s.sed Downside on her rounds without leaving a dish of fish for the ladies" acceptance.
When May, at Miss Jane"s desire, expostulated with her, the good woman replied--
"Tell them it"s they do Adam and me a favour, and it"s no loss to us, for Adam generally catches more fish than we can sell, and if we were to send them a dish every day for the next hundred years, we could never repay them what we owe; so just beg them, with our respects, never to say another word about the matter."
As may be supposed, this constant supply was really very welcome, and contributed to keep down Miss Jane"s weekly bills. Thus, although their means were greatly straitened, the ladies still hoped to pay the rent of their pretty cottage.
Their lives were spent in a daily routine of duty. Miss Jane visited the poor as she had been accustomed to do, although she had much less to give them than formerly, and May took her daily walks with Miss Mary, and read to her as much as usual, finding time notwithstanding for her other duties.
As soon as Sir Ralph returned to Texford, Lady Castleton and Julia spoke to him about their cousins" loss of property, and expressed their wish that some means could be taken to increase their now very limited income. Sir Ralph listened to them with more attention than they had expected.
"You are both very kind and charitable ladies," he remarked, in a tone they did not like. "I will ride over and call on our cousins."
"Let me accompany you, papa," said Julia. "I can take a stroll with May in the garden, while you are discussing business matters with the elder ladies."
"I do not wish you to be on intimate terms with that young person,"
answered Sir Ralph; "and as my visit will be on business, I must beg to be favoured with your company when I ride elsewhere."
Julia felt grieved at her father"s reply.
Sir Ralph rode to Downside. Miss Jane received him with her usual frank and kind manner. She hoped that Algernon"s death might have softened his heart. He sat and talked for some time, addressing Jane and Miss Mary, but, except the formal bow which he gave on entering, not noticing May, though he now and then turned an involuntary glance at her--a tribute to her beauty.
At length he said--
"I must confess, my good cousins, I came over to have a little conversation on business, and if you will afford me your attention in private for a few minutes, I will explain my object."
"We have no secrets from our dear May," answered Miss Jane.