CHAPTER LVI.
THE BRANDON CONSERVATORY.
Captain Lake did look in at the Lodge in the morning, and remained anhour in conference with Mr. Jos. Larkin. I suppose everything went offpleasantly. For although Stanley Lake looked very pale and vicious as hewalked down to the iron gate of the Lodge among the evergreens andbass-mats, the good attorney's countenance shone with a serene andheavenly light, so pure and bright, indeed, that I almost wonder hisdazzled servants, sitting along the wall while he read and expounded thatmorning, did not respectfully petition that a veil, after the manner ofMoses, might be suspended over the seraphic effulgence.
Somehow his 'Times' did not interest him at breakfast; theseparliamentary wrangles, commercial speculations, and foreign disputes,are they not, after all, but melancholy and dreary records of the merestworldliness; and are there not moments when they become almost insipid?Jos. Larkin tossed the paper upon the sofa. French politics, relationswith Russia, commercial treaties, party combinations, how men _can_ sowrap themselves up in these things!
And he smiled ineffable pity over the crumpled newspaper--on the poorsouls in that sort of worldly limbo. In which frame of mind he took fromhis coat pocket a copy of Captain Lake's marriage settlement, and readover again a covenant on the captain's part that, with respect to thisparticular estate of Five Oaks, he would do no act, and execute noagreement, deed, or other instrument whatsoever, in any wise affectingthe same, without the consent in writing of the said Dorcas Brandon; anda second covenant binding him and the trustees of the settlement againstexecuting any deed, &c., without a similar consent; and especiallydirecting, that in the event of alienating the estate, the said Dorcasmust be made an assenting party to the deed.
He folded the deed, and replaced it in his pocket with a peaceful smileand closed eyes, murmuring--
'I'm much mistaken if the gray mare's the better horse in that stud.'
He laughed gently, thinking of the captain's formidable and unscrupulousnature, exhibitions of which he could not fail to remember.
'No, no, Miss Dorkie won't give us much trouble.'
He used to call her 'Miss Dorkie,' playfully to his clerks. It gave himconsideration, he fancied. And now with this Five Oaks to beginwith--L1,400 a year--a great capability, immensely improvable, he wouldstake half he's worth on making it more than L2,000 within five years;and with other things at his back, an able man like him might before longlook as high as she. And visions of the grand jury rose dim andsplendid--an heiress and a seat for the county; perhaps he and Lake mightgo in together, though he'd rather be associated with the Hon. JamesCluttworth, or young Lord Griddlestone. Lake, you see, wanted weight,and, nothwithstanding his connections, was, it could not be denied, a newman in the county.
So Wylder, Lake, and Jos. Larkin had each projected for himself, prettymuch the same career; and probably each saw glimmering in the horizon thegolden round of a coronet. And I suppose other modest men are not alwaysproof against similar flatteries of imagination.
Jos. Larkin had also the vicar's business and reversion to attend to. TheRev. William Wylder had a letter containing three lines from him at eighto'clock, to which he sent an answer, whereupon the solicitor despatched aspecial messenger, one of his clerks to Dollington, with a letter to thesheriff's deputy, from whom he received duly a reply, which necessitateda second letter with a formal undertaking, to which came another reply;whereupon he wrote to Burlington, Smith, and Co., acquainting themrespectfully, in diplomatic fashion, with the attitude which affairs hadassumed.
With this went a private and confidential, non-official, note to Smith,desiring him to answer stiffly and press for an immediate settlement, andto charge costs fairly, as Mr. William Wylder would have ample funds toliquidate them. Smith knew what _fairly_ meant, and his entries went downaccordingly. By the same post went up to the same firm a proposition--anafterthought--sanctioned by a second miniature correspondence with hisclient, now sailing before the wind, to guarantee them against lossconsequent against staying the execution in the sheriff's hands for afortnight, which, if they agreed to, they were further requested to senda draft of the proposed undertaking by return, at foot of which, inpencil, he wrote, 'N.B.--_Yes_.'
This arrangement necessitated his providing himself with a guarantee fromthe vicar; and so the little account as between the vicar and Jos.Larkin, solicitor, and the vicar and Messrs. Burlington, Smith, and Co.,solicitors, grew up and expanded with a tropical luxuriance.
About the same time--while Mr. Jos. Larkin, I mean, was thinking overMiss Dorkie's share in the deed, with a complacent sort of interest,anticipating a struggle, but sure of victory--that beautiful young ladywas walking slowly from flower to flower, in the splendid conservatorywhich projects southward from the house, and rears itself in glacialarches high over the short sward and flowery patterns of the outer gardenof Brandon. The unspeakable sadness of wounded pride was on her beautifulfeatures, and there was a fondness in the gesture with which she laid herfingers on these exotics and stooped over them, which gave to hersolitude a sentiment of the pathetic.
From the high glass doorway, communicating with the drawing-rooms, at thefar end, among towering ranks of rare and gorgeous flowers, over theencaustic tiles, and through this atmosphere of perfume, did CaptainStanley Lake, in his shooting coat, glide, smiling, toward his beautifulyoung wife.
She heard the door close, and looking half over her shoulder, in a lowtone indicating surprise, she merely said:
'Oh!' receiving him with a proud sad look.
'Yes, Dorkie, I'm here at last. I've been for some weeks so insufferablybusy,' and he laid his white hand lightly over his eyes, as if they andthe brain within were alike weary.
'How charming this place is--the temple of Flora, and you the divinity!'
And he kissed her cheek.
'I'm now emancipated for, I hope, a week or two. I've been so stupid andinattentive. I'm sure, Dorkie, you must think me a brute. I've been shutup so in the library, and keeping such tiresome company--you've no idea;but I think you'll say it was time well spent, at least I'm sure you'llapprove the result; and now that I have collected the facts, and can showyou, darling, exactly what the chances are, you must consent to hear thelong story, and when you have heard, give me your advice.'
Dorcas smiled, and only plucked a little flowery tendril from a plantthat hung in a natural festoon above her.
'I assure you, darling, I am serious; you must not look so incredulous;and it is the more provoking, because I love you so. I think I have aright to your advice, Dorkie.'
'Why don't you ask Rachel, she's cleverer than I, and you are more in thehabit of consulting her?'
'Now, Dorkie is going to talk her wicked nonsense over again, as if I hadnever answered it. What about Radie? I do assure you, so far from takingher advice, and thinking her an oracle, as you suppose, I believe her insome respects very little removed from a fool.'
'I think her very clever, on the contrary,' said Dorcas, enigmatically.
'Well, she is clever in some respects; she is gay, at least she used tobe, before she fell into that transcendental parson's hands--I mean poordear William Wylder; and she can be amusing, and talks very well, but shehas no sense--she is utterly Quixotic--she is no more capable of advisingthan a child.'
'I should not have fancied that, although you say so, Stanley.' sheanswered carelessly, adding a geranium to her bouquet.
'You are thinking, I know, because you have seen us once or twice talkingtogether----'
Stanley paused, not knowing exactly how to construct the remainder of hissentence.
Dorcas added another blossom.
'I think that blue improves it wonderfully. Don't you?'
'The blue? Oh yes, certainly.'
'And now that little star of yellow will make it perfect,' said Dorcas.
'Yes--yellow--quite perfect,' said Stanley. 'But when you saw Rachel andme talking together, or rather Rachel talking to me, I do assure you,Dorcas, upon my sacred ho
nour, one half of what she said I do not to thismoment comprehend, and the whole was based on the most preposterousblunder; and I will tell you in a little time everything about it. Iwould this moment--I'd be delighted--only just until I have got a letterwhich I expect--a letter, I assure you, nothing more--and until I havegot it, it would be simply to waste your time and patience to weary youwith any such--any such.'
'_Secret_,' said Dorcas.
'_Secret_, then, if you will have it so,' retorted Stanley, suddenly,with one of those glares that lasted for just one fell moment; but heinstantly recovered himself. '_Secret_--yes--but no secret in the evilsense--a secret only awaiting the evidence which I daily expect, and thento be stated fully and frankly to you, my only darling, and as completelyblown to the winds.'
Dorcas looked in his strange face with her proud, sad gaze, like oneguessing at a funereal allegory.
He kissed her cheek again, placing one arm round her slender waist, andwith his other hand taking hers.
'Yes, Dorcas, my beloved, my only darling, you will yet know all it hascost me to retain from you even this folly; and when you have heardall--which upon my soul and honour, you shall the moment I am enabled to_prove_ all--you will thank me for having braved your momentarydispleasure, to spare you a great deal of useless and miserable suspense.I trust you, Dorcas, in everything implicitly. Why won't you credit whatI say?'
'I don't urge you--I never have--to reveal that which you describe sostrangely as a concealment, yet no secret; as an absurdity, and yetfraught with miserable suspense.'
'Ah, Dorcas, why will you misconstrue me? Why will you not believe me? Ilong to tell you this, which, after all, _is_ an _utter_ absurdity, athousand times more than you can desire to hear it; but my doing so now,unfortified by the evidence I shall have in a very few days, would beattended with a danger which you will then understand. Won't you trustme?'
'And now for my advice,' said Dorcas, smiling down in her mysterious wayupon a crimson exotic near her feet.
'Yes, darling, thank you. In sober earnest, your advice,' answered Lake;'and you must advise me. Several of our neighbours--the Hillyards, theLedwiches, the Wyndermeres, and ever so many more--have spoken to me verystrongly about contesting the county, on the old Whig principles, at theelection which is now imminent. There is not a man with a chance ofacceptance to come forward, if I refuse. Now, you know what even moderatesuccess in the House, when family and property go together, mayaccomplish. There are the Dodminsters. Do you think they would ever havegot their title by any other means? There are the Forresters----'
'I know it all, Stanley; and at once I say, go on. I thought you musthave formed some political project, Mr. Wealdon has been with you sooften; but you tell me nothing, Stanley.'
'Not, darling, till I know it myself. This plan, for instance, until youspoke this moment, was but a question, and one which I could not submituntil I had seen Wealdon, and heard how matters stood, and what chancesof success I should really have. So, darling, you have it all; and I amso glad you advise me to go on. It is five-and-thirty years since anyoneconnected with Brandon came forward. But it will cost a great deal ofmoney, Dorkie.'
'Yes, I know. I've always heard it cost my uncle and Sir William Camdenfifteen thousand pounds.'
'Yes, it will be expensive, Wealdon thinks--_very_, this time. The otherside will spend a great deal of money. It often struck me as a greatmistake, that, where there is a good income, and a position to bemaintained, there is not a little put by every year to meet cases likethis--what they call a reserve fund in trading companies.'
'I do not think there is much money. _You_ know, Stanley.'
'Whatever there is, is under settlement, and we cannot apply it, Dorkie.The only thing to be done, it strikes me, is to sell a part of FiveOaks.'
'I'll not sell any property, Stanley.'
'And what _do_ you propose, then?'
'I don't know. I don't understand these things. But there are ways ofgetting money by mortgages and loans, and paying them off, without losingthe property.'
'I've the greatest possible objection to raising money in that way. Itis, in fact, the first step towards ruin; and nobody has ever done it whohas not regretted that he did not sell instead.'
'I won't sell Five Oaks, Stanley,' said the young lady, seriously.
'I only said a part,' replied Stanley.
'I won't sell at all.'
'Oh? And _I_ won't mortgage,' said Stanley. 'Then the thing can't go on?'
'I can't help it.'
'But I'm resolved it _shall_,' answered Stanley.
'I tell you, Stanley, plainly, I will not sell. The Brandon estate shallnot be diminished in my time.'
'Why, you perverse idiot, don't you perceive you impair the estate asmuch by mortgaging as by selling, with ten times the ultimate danger. Itell you _I_ won't mortgage, and _you shall sell_.'
'This, Sir, is the first time I have been spoken to in such terms.'
'And why do you contradict and thwart me upon business of which I knowsomething and you nothing? What object on earth can I have in impairingthe estate? I've as deep an interest in it as you. It is perfectly plainwe should sell; and I am determined we shall. Come now, Dorcas--I'msorry--I'm such a brute, you know, when I'm vexed. You mustn't be angry;and if you'll be a good girl, and trust me in matters of business----'
'Stanley, I tell you plainly once more, I never will consent to sell oneacre of the Brandon estates.'
'Then we'll see what I can do without you, Dorkie,' he said in apleasant, musing way.
He was now looking down, with his sly, malign smile; and Dorcas couldalmost fancy two yellow lights reflected upon the floor.
'I shall protect the property of my family, Sir, from your folly or yourmachinations; and I shall write to Chelford, as my trustee, to come hereto advise me.'
'And I snap my fingers at you both, and meet you with _defiance_;' andStanley's singular eyes glared upon her for a few seconds.
Dorcas turned in her grand way, and walked slowly toward the door.
'Stay a moment, I'm going,' said Stanley, overtaking and confronting hernear the door. 'I've only one word. I don't think you quite know me. Itwill be an evil day for you, Dorkie, when you quarrel with me.'
He looked steadily on her, smiling for a second or two more, and thenglided from the conservatory.
It was the first time Dorcas had seen Stanley Lake's features in thattranslated state which indicated the action of his evil nature, and theapparition haunted her for many a day and night.
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