Milly Darrell

by M. E. Braddon

was vexed, nevertheless, by Mrs.Collingwood's match-making notions, which seemed to disturb thepeaceful progress of our lives. After this I looked upon everyinvitation to the Rectory--where we never went without meeting Mr.Egerton--as a kind of snare; but our visits there were always verypleasant, and I grew in time to think with more indulgence of theRector's wife's desire for her favourite's advantage.

  In all this time Angus Egerton had in no manner betrayed the state ofhis feelings. If he met us in our walks oftener than seemed possible bymere chance, there was nothing strictly lover-like in his tone orconduct. But I have seen his face light up as he met my dear girl atthese times, and I have noticed a certain softening of his voice as hetalked to her, that I never heard on other occasions.

  And she? About her feelings I had much less doubt. She tried heruttermost to hide the truth from me, ashamed of her regard for one whohad never yet professed to be more than a friend; but I knew that sheloved him. It was impossible, in the perfect companionship andconfidence of our lives, for Milly to keep this first secret of herpure young heart hidden from me. I knew that she loved him; and I beganto look forward anxiously to Mr. Darrell's return, which would relieveme of all responsibility, and perhaps put an end to our friendship withAngus Egerton.

  CHAPTER VIII.

  ON THE WATCH.

  The travellers came back to Thornleigh Manor in August, when the dayswere breathless and sultry, and the freshness of the foliage hadalready begun to fade after an unusually dry summer. Milly and I hadbeen very happy together, and I think we both looked forward with avague dread to the coming break in our lives. She loved her father asdearly as she had ever done, and longed ardently to see him again; butshe knew as well as I did that our independence must end with hisreturn.

  'If he were coming back alone, Mary,' she said--'if that marriage wereall a dream, and he were coming back alone--how happy I should be! Iknow that of his own free will he would never come between me and anywish of mine. But I don't know how he would act under his wife'sinfluence. You cannot imagine the power she has over him. And we shallhave to begin the old false life over again, she and I--disliking anddistrusting each other in our hearts--the daily round of civilities andceremonies and pretences. O Mary, you cannot think how I hate it.'

  We had seen nothing of Julian Stormont during all the time of our happysolitude; but on the day appointed for Mr. and Mrs. Darrell's return hecame to Thornleigh, looking more careworn than ever. I pitied him alittle, knowing the state of his feelings about Milly, believing indeedthat he loved her with a rare intensity, and being inclined toattribute the change in him to his disappointment upon this subject.

  Milly told him how ill he was looking, and he said something about hardwork and late hours, with a little bitter laugh.

  'It doesn't matter to any one whether I am well or ill, you see,Milly,' he said. 'What would any one care if I were to drop over theside of the quay some dark night, on my way from the office to mylodgings, after a hard day's work, and never be seen alive again?'

  'How wicked it is of you to talk like that, Julian! There are plenty ofpeople who would care--papa, to begin with.'

  'Well, I suppose my uncle William would be rather sorry. He would losea good man of business, and he would scarcely like going back to thecounting-house, and giving himself up to all the dry details ofcommerce once more.'

  The travellers arrived soon after this. Mr. Darrell greeted hisdaughter with much tenderness; but I noticed a kind of languor in Mrs.Darrell's embrace, very different from her reception of Milly at thatfirst meeting which I had witnessed more than a year before. It seemedto me that her power over her husband was now supreme, and that she didnot trouble herself to keep up any pretence of affection for his onlychild.

  She was dressed to perfection; and that subdued charm which wasscarcely beauty, and yet stood in place of it, attracted me to-day asit had done when we first met. She was a woman who, I could imagine,might be more admired than many handsomer women. There was adistinction, an originality about the pale delicate face, dark archedbrows, and gray eyes--eyes which were at times very brilliant.

  She looked round her without the faintest show of interest oradmiration as she loitered with her husband on the terrace, whileinnumerable travelling-bags, shawls, books, newspapers, and packageswere being carried from the barouche to the house.

  'How dry and burnt-up everything looks!' she said.

  'Have you no better greeting than that for Thornleigh, my dearAugusta?' Mr. Darrell asked in rather a wounded tone. 'I thought youwould be pleased to see the old place again.'

  'Thornleigh Manor is not a passion of mine,' she answered. 'I hope youwill take a house in town at the beginning of next year.'

  She passed on into the hall, after having honoured me with the coldestpossible shake-hands. We saw no more of her until nearly dinner-time,when she came down to the drawing-room, dressed in white, and lookingdeliciously pale and cool in the sultry weather. Milly had spent theafternoon in going round the gardens and home-farm with her father, andhad thoroughly enjoyed the delight of a couple of hours alone with him.She gave him up now to Mrs. Darrell, who devoted all her attention tohim for the rest of the evening; while Julian Stormont, Milly, and Iloitered about the garden, and played a desultory game of croquet.

  It was not until the next morning that Mr. Egerton's name wasmentioned, although it had been in my thoughts, and I cannot doubt inMilly's, ever since Mr. Darrell's arrival. We were in the drawing-roomafter breakfast, not quite decided what to do with the day, when Mr.Darrell came into the room dressed for a ride with his wife. He wentover to the window by which Milly was standing.

  'You have quite given up riding, Ellis tells me, my dear,' he said.

  'I have not cared to ride while you were away, papa, as Mary does notride.'

  'Miss Crofton might have learnt to ride; there would always be a horseat her disposal.'

  'We like walking better,' Milly said, blushing a little, and fidgetingnervously with one of the buttons on her father's coat. 'I used to feelin the way, you know, when I rode with you and Mrs. Darrell.'

  'That was your own fault, Milly,' he answered, with a displeased look.

  'I suppose it was. But I think Augusta felt it too. O, by the bye,papa, I did not tell you quite all the news when we were out togetheryesterday.'

  'Indeed!'

  'No; I forgot to mention that Mr. Egerton has come back.'

  'Angus Egerton?'

  'Yes; he came back last winter.'

  'You never said so in your letters.'

  'Didn't I? I suppose that was because I knew you were rather prejudicedagainst him; and one can't explain away that kind of thing in a letter.'

  'You would find it very difficult to explain away my dislike of AngusEgerton, either in or out of a letter. Have you seen much of him?'

  'A good deal. He has been at the Rectory very often when Mary and Ihave been invited there. The Collingwoods are very fond of him. I amsure--I think--you will like him, papa, when you come to see a littleof him. He is going to call upon you.'

  'He can come if he pleases,' Mr. Darrell answered with an indifferentair; 'I shall not be uncivil to him. But I am rather sorry that he hasmade such a favourable impression upon you, Milly.'

  She was still playing with the buttons of his coat, looking downward,her dark eyes quite veiled by their long lashes.

  'I did not say that, papa,' she murmured shyly.

  'But I am sure of it from your manner. Has he done anything towards theimprovement of Cumber?'

  'O yes; he has put new roofs to some part of the stables; and the landis in better order, they say; and the gardens are kept nicely now.'

  'Does he live alone at the Priory?'

  'Quite alone, papa.'

  'He must find it rather a dull business, I should think.'

  'Mr. Collingwood says he is very fond of study, and that he has awonderful collection of old books. He is a great smoker too, I believe;he walks a good deal; and he hunted all last winter. They sa
y he is atremendous rider.'

  Augusta Darrell came in at this moment, ready for her ride. Her slimwillowy figure looked to great advantage in the plain tight-fittingcloth habit; and the little felt hat with its bright scarlet feathergave a coquettish expression to her face. She tapped her husbandlightly on the arm with her riding-whip.

  'Now, William, if your are quite ready.'

  'My dearest, I have been waiting for the last half-hour.'

  They went off to their horses. Milly followed them to the terrace, andwatched them as they rode away.

  We spent the morning out-of-doors sketching, with Julian Stormont inattendance upon us. At two o'clock we all meet at luncheon.

  After luncheon Milly and I went to the