CHAPTER XI.
The spring returned; the intimate relations between the two familieswere each day more confirmed. Lady Annabel had presented her daughterand Plantagenet each with a beautiful pony, but their rides were atfirst to be confined to the park, and to be ever attended by a groom.In time, however, duly accompanied, they were permitted to extendtheir progress so far as Cadurcis. Mrs. Cadurcis had consented tothe wishes of her son to restore the old garden, and Venetia was hisprincipal adviser and assistant in the enterprise. Plantagenet wasfond of the abbey, and nothing but the agreeable society of Cherburyon the one hand, and the relief of escaping from his mother on theother, could have induced him to pass so little of his time at home;but, with Venetia for his companion, his mornings at the abbey passedcharmingly, and, as the days were now at their full length again,there was abundance of time, after their studies at Cherbury, to ridetogether through the woods to Cadurcis, spend several hours there, andfor Venetia to return to the hall before sunset. Plantagenet alwaysaccompanied her to the limits of the Cherbury grounds, and thenreturned by himself, solitary and full of fancies.
Lady Annabel had promised the children that they should some dayride together to Marringhurst, the rectory of Dr. Masham, to eatstrawberries and cream. This was to be a great festival, and waslooked forward to with corresponding interest. Her ladyship had kindlyoffered to accompany Mrs. Cadurcis in the carriage, but that lady wasan invalid and declined the journey; so Lady Annabel, who was herselfa good horsewoman, mounted her jennet with Venetia and Plantagenet.
Marringhurst was only five miles from Cherbury by a cross-road,which was scarcely passable for carriages. The rectory house was asubstantial, square-built, red brick mansion, shaded by gigantic elms,but the southern front covered with a famous vine, trained over itwith elaborate care, and of which, and his espaliers, the Doctor wasvery proud. The garden was thickly stocked with choice fruit-trees;there was not the slightest pretence to pleasure grounds; but therewas a capital bowling-green, and, above all, a grotto, where theDoctor smoked his evening pipe, and moralised in the midst of hiscucumbers and cabbages. On each side extended the meadows of hisglebe, where his kine ruminated at will. It was altogether a scene asdevoid of the picturesque as any that could be well imagined; flat,but not low, and rich, and green, and still.
His expected guests met as warm a reception as such a hearty friendmight be expected to afford. Dr. Masham was scarcely less delighted atthe excursion than the children themselves, and rejoiced in the sunnyday that made everything more glad and bright. The garden, the grotto,the bowling-green, and all the novelty of the spot, greatly divertedhis young companions; they visited his farmyard, were introduced tohis poultry, rambled over his meadows, and admired his cows, which hehad collected with equal care and knowledge. Nor was the interior ofthis bachelor's residence devoid of amusement. Every nook and cornerwas filled with objects of interest; and everything was in admirableorder. The goddess of neatness and precision reigned supreme,especially in his hall, which, though barely ten feet square, was acabinet of rural curiosities. His guns, his fishing-tackle, a cabinetof birds stuffed by himself, a fox in a glass-case that seemedabsolutely running, and an otter with a real fish in its mouth, inturn delighted them; but chiefly, perhaps, his chimney-corner of Dutchtiles, all Scriptural subjects, which Venetia and Plantagenet emulatedeach other in discovering.
Then his library, which was rare and splendid, for the Doctor was oneof the most renowned scholars in the kingdom, and his pictures, hisprints, and his gold fish, and his canary birds; it seemed they nevercould exhaust such sources of endless amusement; to say nothing ofevery other room in the house, for, from the garret to the dairy,his guests encouraged him in introducing them to every thing, everyperson, and every place.
'And this is the way we old bachelors contrive to pass our lives,'said the good Doctor; 'and now, my dear lady, Goody Blount will giveus some dinner.'
The Doctor's repast was a substantial one; he seemed resolved, at oneample swoop, to repay Lady Annabel for all her hospitality; and hereally took such delight in their participation of it, that hisprincipal guest was constrained to check herself in more than onewarning intimation that moderation was desirable, were it only for thesake of the strawberries and cream. All this time his housekeeper,Goody Blount, as he called her, in her lace cap and ruffles, asprecise and starch as an old picture, stood behind his chair withpleased solemnity, directing, with unruffled composure, the movementsof the liveried bumpkin who this day was promoted to the honour of'waiting at table.'
'Come,' said the Doctor, as the cloth was cleared, 'I must bargain forone toast, Lady Annabel: "Church and State."'
'What is Church and State?' said Venetia.
'As good things. Miss Venetia, as strawberries and cream,' said theDoctor, laughing; 'and, like them, always best united.'
After their repast, the children went into the garden to amusethemselves. They strolled about some time, until Plantagenet at lengthtook it into his head that he should like to learn to play at bowls;and he said, if Venetia would wait in the grotto, where they then weretalking, he would run back and ask the Doctor if the servant mightteach him. He was not long absent; but appeared, on his return, alittle agitated. Venetia inquired if he had been successful, but heshook his head, and said he had not asked.
'Why did you not?' said Venetia.
'I did not like,' he replied, looking very serious; 'somethinghappened.'
'What could have happened?' said Venetia.
'Something strange,' was his answer.
'Oh, do tell me, Plantagenet!'
'Why,' said he, in a low voice, 'your mamma is crying.'
'Crying!' exclaimed Venetia; 'my dear mamma crying! I must go to herdirectly.'
'Hush!' said Plantagenet, shaking his head, 'you must not go.'
'I must.'
'No, you must not go, Venetia,' was his reply; 'I am sure she does notwant us to know she is crying.'
'What did she say to you?'
'She did not see me; the Doctor did, and he gave me a nod to go away.'
'I never saw mamma cry,' said Venetia.
'Don't you say anything about it, Venetia,' said Plantagenet, with amanly air; 'listen to what I say.'
'I do, Plantagenet, always; but still I should like to know what mammacan be crying about. Do tell me all about it.'
'Why, I came to the room by the open windows, and your mamma wasstanding up, with her back to me, and leaning on the mantel-piece,with her face in her handkerchief; and the Doctor was standing up too,only his back was to the fireplace; and when he saw me, he made me asign to go away, and I went directly.'
'Are you sure mamma was crying?'
'I heard her sob.'
'I think I shall cry,' said Venetia.
'You must not; you must know nothing about it. If you let your mammaknow that I saw her crying, I shall never tell you anything again.'
'What do you think she was crying about, Plantagenet?'
'I cannot say; perhaps she had been talking about your papa. I do notwant to play at bowls now,' added Plantagenet; 'let us go and see thecows.'
In the course of half an hour the servant summoned the children tothe house. The horses were ready, and they were now to return. LadyAnnabel received them with her usual cheerfulness.
'Well, dear children,' said she, 'have you been very much amused?'
Venetia ran forward, and embraced her mother with even unusualfondness. She was mindful of Plantagenet's injunctions, and wasresolved not to revive her mother's grief by any allusion that couldrecall the past; but her heart was, nevertheless, full of sympathy,and she could not have rode home, had she not thus expressed her lovefor her mother.
With the exception of this strange incident, over which, afterwards,Venetia often pondered, and which made her rather serious the whole ofthe ride home, this expedition to Marringhurst was a very happy day.
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