Dainty's Cruel Rivals; Or, The Fatal Birthday
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CHAPTER XIV.
DAINTY WOULD NEVER FORGET THAT DAY.
Lovelace Ellsworth was delighted when he saw Dainty's bright, happy facenext morning, showing that nothing had marred her calm repose.
Black mammy's ebony face shone with delight, too, as she related howpeacefully her charge had slumbered, without a single disturbing dream,all night.
"Bress her dear heart! Mammy gwine tek keer ob her ebry night, an' don'twant no silber dollar for it, neider, dat she don't!" she exclaimed,pushing away Love's hand, though he afterward surreptitiously droppedthe money into her capacious apron pocket.
After breakfast he kissed his darling a tender good-bye and rode awayhappily, in the July sunshine, on the little business trip of which hehad spoken to Dainty the evening before. He returned so late that nightthat he did not see her until morning, when he received the sameencouraging report. Mammy had proved a most faithful guardian,effectually keeping at bay all the unquiet spirits of the night.
Indeed, for quite a week everything went on pleasantly at Ellsworth.
The mistress of the mansion and her two favorite nieces seemed to haveswallowed their chagrin and accepted the situation. They were blandlycourteous to the lovers, and seemed to have relaxed their endeavors towound and annoy them; but, could one have looked beneath the surface, avolcano would have been seen to be smoldering beneath the thin uppercrust of politeness.
Mrs. Ellsworth, angry and indignant at the thwarting of her cherishedschemes, steeled her heart to all the charms of her youngest niece, andcherished a secret resentment that was destined to bear bitter fruit.
Olive Peyton, mad with slighted love and thwarted ambition, was quite aseager as her aunt for revenge on her lovely rival, while Ela Craye wasnot behind either in her resentment. Having thrown over her lover forthe sake of gold, she was all the more anxious to realize her desires.So the three conspirators stood secretly but solidly against the lovers,and only the future could prove whether the forces of good or evil wouldwin in the bitter contest.
True, Ela was a little frightened still when she recalled thesensational interview with her wronged lover; but she knew that he hadfled from the scene of his attempted crime, and returned to his officein Richmond. Indeed, she had written him a curt letter, taking credit toherself for not having betrayed his identity to Love Ellsworth thatnight. She threatened him, frankly, that if he should ever interferewith her or Mr. Ellsworth again, she should denounce him for theattempted assassination, of which Love bore witness in a slight scar onhis white brow.
Vernon Ashley made no reply to Ela's letter, and she began to breathemore freely, hoping that he would trouble her peace no more.
During that calm week, Dainty had one bitter disappointment.
It was the news that her dear mother would be unable to join her atEllsworth until two days before the wedding.
She had very unfortunately taken a young married pair to board after thegirls went to the mountains, and the young wife now lay quite ill, themother of a feeble infant.
Mrs. Chase did not consider the hired nurse very competent, and had notthe heart to desert the young couple in their trouble.
"I have taken the care of the babe on myself," wrote the motherly soul, "and I believe it will be two weeks yet before I can safely desert my post. Then my boarders will leave for the country, and I shall fly to you, my darling, whom I have so sadly missed since you went away."
And, oh! what a joyful heart the loving mother bore at the fruition ofall her fond hopes for her lovely daughter!
How bitterly she had grieved over her poverty for Dainty's sake! How shehad dreaded to see her assume the drudgery of school-teaching, fadingher bright bloom in wearisome toil! But now it would never have to be.
The girl's own natural charms, unhindered by the lack of finery, had wonfor her the love of a noble man, who would fill her life with sunshine.It was a triumph, too, to see how Olive's and Ela's spite had recoiledon themselves, and failed to harm winsome Dainty, whom they hated simplyfor her grace and beauty.
She rejoiced in Dainty's happiness, and the girl had been careful not togrieve her by a hint of her annoyances at Ellsworth.
"Poor mamma, she has troubles enough of her own fighting the hard battleof poverty; but, thank Heaven! it will soon be over, for Love haspromised that her home shall be here with me always," the young girlthought, with a heart full of joy.
So the happy days slipped away, each crowded with pleasures, for therewas never a dull day at Ellsworth. The mistress kept it gay withpleasant entertainments, to which she always invited the best people inthe county, especially the eligible young men, hoping that the niecesLovelace had slighted for Dainty might yet catch rich husbands.
But somehow the best catches seemed already engaged, and the next bestones, while politely attentive to Mrs. Ellsworth's guests, did notbetray any marked predilection for their society. Though handsome andwell-dressed, they failed somehow in that indefinable charm that oftenwins for a plainer girl a really enviable lover.
This fact has been often observed in life. The most perfect beauty,unless united to an innate goodness that forms an attractive aura aboutthe person, often fails to impress and win.
"What a beautiful girl! Pray introduce me!" exclaims some admiring youngman; but on being presented, he feels an unconscious chill, and afterleaving the beauty's presence, finds he has lost all interest in whatbefore had charmed him so. The most probable cause is, that the fairface hid an ignoble soul whose influence had vaguely chilled anddepressed his admiration.
Olive Peyton was peculiarly of this unpleasant type. Proud, vain, cold,and ambitious, she had never possessed any magnetic power of attraction,and had actually never received a single proposal, though it would havemortified her intensely for any one to find it out.
Ela, who patterned after Olive as nearly as possible, had never had anyoffer but that of Vernon Ashley, which she had been glad enough toaccept until she thought a better chance had presented itself.
So, very naturally, both the young girls cherished an inward spite andenvy for the sweet, lovable girl who had won so easily the prize theycoveted.
They could see, too, from the actions of the young men who came toEllsworth, that they envied the proud lover the prize he had won. Shemight easily have had a dozen other offers had not Love won her promiseso quickly. How could any one wonder at it who saw how kind-hearted andgentle she was, always thinking of others more than herself, alwayspitying another's sorrow, always glad of another's joy, alwayslight-hearted and sunny, hiding her grief, if she ever had one, under amerry smile?
"Her laugh, As light as wine or chaff, Breaks clear at witty sallies, As brooks Run bubbling through the nooks Of all her southern valleys.
"Her voice, By nature and by choice, Even those who knew her slightest Would find As soft as southern wind When southern winds are lightest."
So the summer days flew, and the happy lover was making all thepreparations for the wedding.
It must be a grand affair, of course. Half the county would expect aninvitation to the wedding of Lovelace Ellsworth, and he was not averseto having them witness his happiness.
The invitations were sent out two weeks beforehand. Dainty would neverforget that day, because it was on that very night that the Ellsworthghost reappeared to cast its lowering shadow again over her happiness.
It was quite a week since she had seen it, and Love had almost persuadedher that she had dreamed the whole thing, or that Sheila Kelly hadprobably played ghost to annoy her, when suddenly one night itreappeared more horribly than ever before, striking consternation toeven the stout heart of old black mammy, who roused the whole house withher terrified shrieks, and filled Love Ellsworth's heart with rage ather graphic story.