CHAPTER XIX.
DAME FORTUNE SMILES.
"Of pleasures, those which occur most rarely give the greatestpleasure."--_Epictetus_.
Dr. Luttrell's fit of pessimism did not last long. The very next dayhe had a sharp twinge of remorse, when he went round to Galvaston Houseto take leave of his patient, and Mr. Gaythorne put a slip of foldedpaper in his hand.
"I am an old man," he said,--and his thin fingers held the youngdoctor's hand in a firm grasp,--"and I am using an old man's privilege.I know what a hard, up-hill fight life is at present to you, and Ishould like to ease the burden a little," and to Marcus's intense andoverwhelming surprise he found it was a cheque for five hundred pounds.
Marcus never could remember what he said, but his first attempt tostammer a few words of gratitude for this unexpected and magnificentgift was promptly checked.
"It is all very well," observed Alwyn rather gloomily when Olivia toldhim of his father's munificence. She had shed tears of joy when Marcushad shown her the cheque.
"My father has settled up accounts with Dr. Luttrell after his ownfashion, but he has not paid my debts." And then in a deeply movedvoice, "There are some debts that cannot be paid. 'I was a strangerand ye took me in.' How many doors do you suppose, Mrs. Luttrell,would have opened to a starving outcast that Christmas night?" and thenhis blue eyes flashed with an expression of intense feeling that becamehim well.
"I shall never be able to repay either of you. I shall never try," hewent on. "Do you know, as I lay on that doorstep too weak and stiff tomove, and the doctor bent over me, it seemed to me, in my dazedcondition, as though it were the face of a beneficent angel. God blessyou both, for you have made a man of me." And then he lifted the kind,womanly hand to his lips.
Olivia missed her friends at Galvaston House, sorely, but she had moretime to devote to Greta.
One day they had a pleasant outing together. Greta, who still hankeredafter her old home, had proposed that she and Olivia should go down toMedhurst together.
"It is only an hour's journey," she observed, "And there is a dear oldinn where we could have tea. And just now it will be at its best. Thehorse-chestnuts will be out in the Grange garden, and the pink andwhite may at Ivy Dene." And Olivia consented readily. But though shethoroughly enjoyed the little expedition, and fell in love withMedhurst and the old church, the longed-for visit was only productiveof disappointment to Greta.
Ivy Dene, in Olivia's eyes, was not a desirable abode. The rooms werelow and cramped, and had a mouldy, disused smell in them. Even thelittle three-cornered drawing-room with the bay-window overlooking thevillage green and the elm-tree did not please her. The solitary oldman in a smock-frock, with a red handkerchief knotted loosely round hislean old throat, might be a picturesque object in the distance, but onwet days she fancied even the green might be a dreary outlook. As theysat over their tea in the little inn parlour she gave her opinion inher usual downright fashion.
"Dear Greta," she said, "I do not advise your taking this step. IvyDene Lodge would want a good deal of money spent on it to make itdecently habitable. And even if it were painted and papered fromgarret to basement it would never be a really comfortable house. Allthose small rooms opening into each other are so inconvenient. Andthen it is damp. I am sure Marcus would say so; and then I am certainyou would be moped to death. There are no young people at the Grange.Only that stout, middle-aged couple we met in the pony-carriage, andthe vicar is old and a widower. I do think it would be terribly dullfor you." And Greta owned rather regretfully that her friend was right.
Her poor little air-castles had crumbled into nothingness. Herlongings for the sweet country air and rustic quiet were doomed to befrustrated. In her heart she felt that Olivia was wise. A solitarylife at Ivy Dene would hardly content her. And after all was she soready to leave Brompton? She had found friends there--realfriends--the Luttrells and Mrs. Broderick and the Gaythornes, andthough she still felt terribly lonely in her big house, perhaps itwould be better for her to wait a little.
"I suppose I should feel rather like a ghost if I tried to settlehere," she said, presently. "I do not think so badly of poor littleIvy Dene as you do. It would be quite large enough for me, but somehowMedhurst itself seems changed."
After tea they walked to the Grange, and asked leave to go into thegarden, and Greta showed her friend the lime walk, and the orchard andthe big elm-tree where they had swung their hammock.
"I think it looks just as lovely as it did in the old days," she saidas they paced down the smooth velvety lawn. And even Olivia allowedthat the Grange had not disappointed her. It was a fine,picturesque-looking house, and as they passed to the front, she had aglimpse of a handsome hall panelled in oak. "If you could only live atthe Grange," she said, and Greta smiled.
Mrs. Broderick told her niece that she was growing very gay andworldly. Actually Marcus had taken her and Greta to the Royal Academyone afternoon, and they had sat in the Park afterwards. And Olivia inher new spring dress and hat had looked the embodiment of youth andfreshness, and another afternoon they had gone to St. James's Hall tohear Sarasate.
"Livy has had more work than play. I mean her to enjoy herself alittle," he said when Aunt Madge accused him playfully of spoiling hiswife, but Olivia refused to endorse this.
"No one could be happier," she told herself day after day. Marcus'spractice was certainly improving, and he was getting very intimate,too, with Dr. Bevan, and it was already settled between them that heshould look after Dr. Bevan's patients while he was away in August.
Dr. Bevan had an extensive practice and was not young, and Dr. Luttrellsuspected that he would soon take a partner. He had complained morethan once lately that he was sadly overworked, but Marcus never couldbe sure if these hints were intentionally dropped. To be Dr. Bevan'spartner would be the acme of his ambition, but in that case a goodhouse would be absolutely necessary.
Olivia had only been joking when she had made the observation. She hadno idea that Marcus even entertained such an idea for a moment, butMarcus, who had his foot on the first rung of the ladder, was eager toclimb. All his spare time was spent in study. He still went to theModels, to gain experience he would say, but in reality because thepeople loved to have him, and because it gratified his organ ofbenevolence.
As the summer wore on the weather became exceedingly hot andoppressive, and Greta, who had taken a small house at Eastbourne forJuly and August, insisted on carrying off Olivia and Dot for the firstmonth.
"It would be doing me the greatest kindness," she said almost tearfullyas she gave the invitation, "for how could I enjoy anything alone? Dr.Luttrell has promised to run down from Saturday to Monday, and perhapswe could even induce him to stay longer, and it would do Dot so muchgood." And it was this last consideration that had the greatest weightwith Olivia.
"But oh, Marcus! how am I to leave you?" she began in rather a dismalvoice. But Marcus soon proved to her that he was only too willing topart with her.
"My good child," he said, "the idea of your hesitating for a moment.Miss Williams is behaving like a brick, and she had planned it allbeforehand, too. Do you suppose she would have taken a house, if shehad not meant you and Dot to go too?"
"But, Marcus," she pleaded, "I do not really need the change; you onlysaid yourself the other day that I had never looked so well."
"Yes, and Eastbourne will enable you to keep well," he returned,cheerfully. "Think of a month of sea breezes; does not your maternalheart swell at the idea of Dot in a big sun-bonnet, stumping over thebeach with her spade and bucket? Why, you and Miss Williams will be ashappy as the day is long."
"Oh, no; not without you, Marcus," returned Olivia, tenderly. "Do youthink any enjoyment would be perfect without my husband?" But asMarcus quietly reasoned with her, she yielded at last with a good grace.
"I could not well refuse, Aunt Madge, could I?" she said to her usualconfidante, "when Greta wanted me so; and then it will do baby so m
uchgood. Marcus declares that Martha will manage all right, and that hewill not be dull; and he has promised to spend a whole week with us ifhe can. And really, it is so very, very kind of Greta, and she is sohappy about our coming."
"You are a wise woman, Livy," replied Aunt Madge. "And I am proud ofyou, and so is Marcus, for we both of us know you are making a braveeffort. Deb shall give Martha a helping hand, now and then, when I canspare her. And Marcus has promised to have a cup of tea and chat withme sometimes on his way home from the Models. By-the-bye, when do Mr.Gaythorne and Mr. Alwyn return?" But Olivia could not answer thisquestion.
Galvaston House would not be ready for them until the end of July. Sheknew that in his last letter to Marcus, Alwyn had spoken of their goingon to Scarborough. He had given a good account of his father, he wasless feeble and walked better; but Bournemouth was too relaxing, andthey both felt the need of more bracing air.
"I shall keep him away until September, unless he turns restless," hehad finished, and Marcus had strongly commended this.
Greta sometimes heard from Alwyn. He wrote to her from time to time,and she would read his letters to Olivia.
The house that she had taken at Eastbourne was charmingly situated.From the windows they had a view of the sea, and Beachy Head in thedistance. Marcus took them down and settled them in, and after thefirst few days Olivia got over her homesickness and thoroughly enjoyedher life.
In the mornings they were always on the beach with Dot, either readingor working, or watching the happy groups of children.
In the afternoons and evenings they either drove or walked over thedowns. Greta, who was resolved to spare no expense, had hired a prettylittle victoria for the month.
When Marcus came down for his promised week, he spent most of his timeboating, and one or two days they went out in a sailing-boat andcarried their luncheon with them. Both Greta and Olive provedthemselves good sailors.
Greta had entreated her friend to prolong her visit, but Olivia wouldnot hear of this.
"Martha had been left long enough," she said, decidedly, and she couldnot remain away from Marcus any longer. And Marcus was too glad to gethis bright companion back to say a dissenting word.
"Oh, Aunt Madge, I have had such a splendid time," were Olivia's firstwords when she went round to Mayfield Villas on the morning after herreturn. "Greta has been such a dear, she has thoroughly spoilt me; butthe loveliest time of all was the week Marcus spent with us."
"You look the very essence of a sunbeam, Livy," returned Mrs.Broderick, with an admiring look; "but what a nut-brown mayde you havebecome. Well, was Marcus pleased to get his wife and child back?" Andthen Olivia smiled happily, for only she knew how she had been missed.
Dr. Bevan left town early in August and Dr. Luttrell took up hisposition as _locum tenens_, and in spite of the emptiness of Londonfound plenty of work.
Sometimes, as Olivia walked in the direction of Brunswick Place withDot toddling beside her, the victoria with its bay horses would passher. How Olivia would dimple with amusement as Marcus gravely liftedhis hat to her.
Ever after a victoria with bay horses figured in Olivia's _chateauxd'espagne_.
Greta complained bitterly of her dullness when her friends had left."Eastbourne has lost its charms," she wrote, "and the crowds of peopleon the Parade only make me feel more lonely. If it were not for fearof Dr. Luttrell, I should come back to Brunswick Place at once, but Idare not run the gauntlet of his sarcasms.
"My one amusement is making smocks for Dot. I have finished the paleblue one and it looks lovely, and now I have begun a cream-colouredone; in spite of your stuck-up pride, Olive, you cannot prevent me fromworking for my darling Dot."
This reproachful sentence was the outcome of a hot argument.
Greta had tried in her affectionate way to lavish gifts upon herfriend, but Olivia had steadily refused to allow this.
"No, Greta," she had said, "you do far too much for me already. I havebeen treated like a princess for a whole month, but I will not havepresents heaped on me. Even poor people have their feelings, you know,and rich people must respect them." But this dignified speech made noimpression on Greta.
"You may call it proper pride," she said, contemptuously, "but I callit selfishness, for you are just depriving me of my greatest pleasure.Well, if you choose to be stiff and obstinate you must have your way,but you cannot hinder me from finishing those smocks." And Olivia, whowas full of admiration for Greta's exquisite smocking, announcedgraciously that the smocks were to be the exception.
"I was obliged to put my foot down, Marcus," she said afterwards, "orshe would have bought everything I admired. Perhaps I am proud, but noone but my husband or Aunt Madge shall buy my frocks." And as Oliviasaid this she held up her head, and looked so dignified and handsomethat Marcus refrained from teasing her. Evidently such pride was nofault in his eyes, and it was certain that he very much enjoyedchoosing his wife's gowns.
Greta was the first to return. The Gaythornes stayed away until themiddle of September.
When Alwyn paid his first visit, Olivia was rejoiced to see theimprovement in him. He had gained weight and flesh, and looked veryhandsome; but Marcus was less satisfied with Mr. Gaythorne.
"He is an old man before his time," he observed. "I am afraid he willnever throw off his invalid habits now. He can just potter about inthe sunshine and amuse himself with his flowers and museum, but he willnever be capable of work again. The least effort to concentrate histhoughts for more than a few minutes seems to irritate his brain.Nothing pleases him better than to creep up to the grand new studio andwatch Alwyn at his work.
"'I shall be proud of him yet,' he said that to me yesterday, and ifyou had seen his face, Livy, when he said it!"
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