CHAPTER XXI.
SUNSHINE AND CLOUDS.
"A friend who is both intelligent and well-affected is the mostvaluable of all possessions."--_Herodotus_.
About a fortnight after this eventful afternoon, Olivia received a notefrom Greta begging her to bring her work and to spend a few hours withher. The invitation was a pressing one. "Please do not disappointme," she wrote, "for I want to talk to you so much. I think I canpromise that we shall have no interruption. Alwyn is going up to townfor the afternoon, and will not pay his usual call." And then Olivia,who had planned to have tea with Aunt Madge, put off her visit untilanother day, and sent a verbal message of acceptance.
It was one of those late October days, when a touch of frost in the airgives a hint of the approaching winter, and the bright little fire inGreta's pretty morning-room was very welcome.
Greta was sitting at her embroidery frame as usual. Her deep mourningwas relieved by the little knot of white chrysanthemums and red leavesthat she wore, and her fair, serious face looked bright and animated."Dear Olive, it was so good of you to come," she said, as she ensconcedher guest in a big easy-chair. "I suppose you guessed that I wantedyou particularly," and Olivia nodded.
"I could hardly sleep thinking about it all. Olive, we have settledthe day. Mr. Gaythorne gave Alwyn no peace, and so he was obliged tospeak to me. He said it was very soon to ask me, and that he wouldwillingly have given me more time, but that in his father's state ofhealth any delay would only harass him, so I said that I would be readyby the middle of December. I hope you do not think I am wrong?"
"No, indeed. I think you are very wise."
"Alwyn was so grateful," went on Greta; "he knew my objection to awinter wedding; but, as he says, it will be so nice to begin the newyear together; and, after all, what do these outward things matter? Atfirst I thought I would be married in my travelling-dress, and gostraight away from the church; and then I remembered how Alwyn oncesaid that brides ought always to wear white, that it was symbolical andpoetical, and that you agreed with him."
"Marcus thought just the same!" returned Olivia; "and though I was inmourning for dear mother, Aunt Madge bought me a lovely white cashmere.Alas! I have never worn it since, but sometimes I take it out and lookat it. I remember how pleased Marcus was with it. Shall you wear silkor satin, Greta?" and then Greta owned that she had already decided ona rich ivory-coloured silk.
"But we will not discuss my _trousseau_ just yet," she observed,blushing. "There is plenty of time for that. I shall have seven weeksfor my preparations. I want to tell you about yesterday, Olive. Youknow I had promised to have luncheon at Galvaston House, and that Alwynwas to fetch me, but before we left this house it was all settled, andafter luncheon Alwyn told his father. The dear old man was so pleased;he made Alwyn bring down his mother's trinkets, a pearl necklace andsome diamond stars, and such splendid rings that he had given her, andhe told Alwyn that they were all for me; you know I never cared muchfor jewelry, but Alwyn will always want me to be well dressed, so Ishall have to be smart. I think I liked best a little cross set withdiamonds, that Olive used to wear; he gave me that, too."
"How pleased Alwyn must have been."
"Yes, and, of course, I was pleased, too; and then Mr. Gaythorne madeAlwyn take me over the house. What a handsome house it is, Olive! Ilike it ever so much better than Brunswick Place. I had no idea it wasso large, but Mr. Gaythorne said that Italian palaces had spoilt him,and that he must always have plenty of space. There is a room on thefirst floor opening into the conservatory that will make a charmingmorning-room, and then the studio is so lovely. Alwyn has been buyingsuch beautiful things, and there is to be a corner fitted up for myuse, where my embroidery frame can stand. I shall so love to watch himwork; but oh, Olive, is it not absurd? Mr. Gaythorne talks ofrefurnishing the drawing-room, but it is not the least necessary. Iwant you to convince him of this, and to beg him not to spend money soneedlessly. I have so many nice things of my own; all this beautifulchina and those inlaid Japanese cabinets. A new carpet and a littlefresh cretonne is all that is needed. And I know Alwyn agrees with me."
"Very well, then, we must bring Mr. Gaythorne to reason."
"I took Mrs. Crampton into confidence," went on Greta, "when she showedme the kitchen and store-rooms. What a nice creature she is, and howadmirably she manages! There is to be another maid kept, so I asked ifI might bring Merton; she has been with us so many years that I shoulddislike to part with her, and Alwyn has promised to speak to hisfather."
Olivia listened and approved; there was no mistaking Greta's happiness;she looked on the bright side of everything, and would allow of nodrawbacks. When Olivia ventured to hint that Mr. Gaythorne might betrying at times, Greta only smiled and said, "That was very likely,only Alwyn managed him so beautifully, and she hoped in time to do thesame. I know that he dislikes visitors," she went on, "but, as you andDr. Luttrell are exceptions, I do not so much mind, and I shall bequite happy with Alwyn."
"Oh, no doubt," returned Olivia, in her quick, decided way; "but youmust remember, Greta dear, that we owe a duty to our fellow-creatures,and you must not allow Mr. Gaythorne to carry his misanthropical viewstoo far. There is no need for him to be troubled with visitors; he isfar too ailing for much fatigue and exertion; but surely you and Alwyncan entertain your friends in your own rooms," and, though Gretahesitated and looked rather alarmed at the idea of opposing herformidable father-in-law-elect, she was soon brought to acknowledgethat society would be good for Alwyn.
"There is no hurry, we can be quiet this first winter," she said; "but,of course, if people call upon me, I shall return their visits, but wecannot settle beforehand. I shall first wait and see what Alwynwishes, and you must own, Olive, that I have not led a gay life here."
"By-the-bye," observed Olivia, suddenly, "what have you decided to dowith this house and furniture?" but Greta had evidently not taken thesematters into consideration.
"All the best things will go to Galvaston House, I suppose," shereplied, looking round her, "but most of the furniture is old-fashionedand not up-to-date. I suppose people would call it handsome, and, ofcourse, the oak in the dining-room is in thoroughly good taste. I musttalk to Alwyn about it; perhaps it might be let furnished. Dear fatherused to say selling furniture was such a mistake,--one never got thefull value."
"I remember how grand I thought it the first day I called," returnedOlivia, smiling. "The drawing-room with that beautiful conservatoryopening out of it, and the plush curtains, and those luxurious couchesmade me feel so shabby. But I suppose the drawing-room at GalvastonHouse is still better. The glass door opening on the garden is sopleasant, and those Venetian cabinets and that carved settle are reallybeautiful."
"Yes, and it would be such a pity to modernise the room. Besides, whatdoes one want with a drawing-room at all? I am sure I never entermine. I shall live in the morning-room and the studio, and I supposein the evenings we shall be in the library. Ah, you are laughing,because I have thought it all out in this matter-of-fact way, but Iassure you I hardly slept last night." And then by mutual consent theybegan on the mysteries of the _trousseau_, and they had not halffinished when Olivia looked at the clock and declared that she hadstayed too long.
"The world goes up and the world goes down and the sunshine follows therain," says the old song, and human life is certainly made up ofpassing clouds and gleams of sunshine.
While Alwyn superintended the decorations of the new rooms at GalvastonHouse, and brought his artistic taste to bear on every petty detail forthe use of his lady-love, and while Greta busied herself over her_trousseau_, Dr. Luttrell was engaged from morning to night among hispatients.
With the damp, foggy days of November had come the dreaded epidemic,influenza. All the doctors were overworked, and more than one of themsuccumbed to the malady,--amongst them Dr. Bevan.
Marcus, who had been devoting himself to his poor patients, suddenlyfound the charge of a large pr
actice thrown on him, and had scarcelytime to take his meals. For a few days Dr. Bevan was extremely ill,and even when a short change had recruited his health it was evidentthat he would never be able to do the same amount of work again.
"He has been overworking himself for years," Mrs. Bevan said to Marcus,with tears in her eyes; "but he would never spare himself, and now Dr.Randolph says that this utter breakdown is the result. Oh, it is allvery well for him to say that it is better to wear out than rust out,but if a man has a wife and children he has no right to risk his lifein this way. It might not hurt a younger man to rise from his bednight after night in the depths of winter, but for my husband it issimply suicidal. When he gets well he must and shall have a partner.What is the use of waiting until Wilfred is ready to come into thepractice," for Wilfred Bevan, the eldest son, was at that time walkingthe hospitals. And here Mrs. Bevan, with her comely face looking quiteworn and aged with anxiety, hurried away to sit with her husband.
Olivia had her own private anxieties. Those long solitary days werevery trying to her, but she never dared be long absent from home lestshe should miss one of Marcus's flying visits. His meals were taken atany odd hour, but if he came in for a minute on his morning round therewas always a cup of good soup ready for him, or later in the day somehot coffee. But perhaps the best cordial to the tired, harassed doctorwas the sight of his wife's bright face. He would drink the soup,snatch up his little daughter for a kiss and go back to his workrefreshed, but even to him the strain was excessive.
Olivia, who was unwilling to damp Greta's cheerfulness, would pour outher troubles to her Aunt Madge, and Mrs. Broderick would listen withher usual sympathy.
"I hope it is not wicked of me, Aunt Madge," she would say, "but I dofeel so worried and anxious. Marcus declares he is quite well, but heis so tired every night that he can hardly drag himself to bed, andwhen morning comes he is not a bit rested. I think Dr. Bevan's illnesshas made me nervous, for I am always dreading that Marcus will breakdown too."
"Women need lot of faith, don't they, Livy? Doctors' wives as well assoldiers' wives, but I am not sure that you need fear for Marcus. Heis really strong, and at his age a little hard work will not hurt him.He has his laurels to gather, you must remember that. 'It is an illwind that blows no one any good.'" But Olivia, who was tired anddepressed, was not so ready to be comforted.
"I would rather go on being poor than see my poor boy work so hard,"she said, mournfully. "But it is not only that, Aunt Madge. Marcus isvery tender-hearted, and it makes him so unhappy when he loses apatient. Of course I know why he looked so dull last night, that pooryoung fellow Basil Greenwood is dead."
"Yes, I know; Dr. Randolph was called in," returned Mrs. Broderick;"but a hundred physicians could not have saved him, the fever ran toohigh."
"He was only eighteen and his poor mother doated on him, and now she isill too. They called Marcus up last night; he did not get back tillnearly five, but I had the fire lighted and some hot cocoa ready forhim. Marcus scolded me; he is always so afraid of my knocking up, butI know he was glad of the cocoa. I tell Greta that I cannot be muchwith her just now. I am so afraid of missing him when he comes in, andof course she understands, but it is a little hard for her, poor child."
"Greta is very good," returned Aunt Madge. "She makes the best ofthings. By-the-bye, what is this I hear of a grand new dress for thewedding?" And then Olivia did brighten up a little.
Greta had begged in the most loving way that Olivia's dress and bonnetfor the occasion should be her gift, and the dark heliotrope silk anddainty bonnet to match were at that moment in Greta's wardrobe.
"I tell Greta that it is far too handsome," replied Olivia, "and thatMarcus will object to my being so smart, but she only laughs at me.There is such a lovely cape to go with it, but somehow, in spite ofGreta's kindness, I shall not enjoy it one bit, unless Marcus has timeto go with me."
"Oh, he will make time; don't be so lugubrious, Livy. You are just outof heart about things, but we must have cloudy days some time. Don'tyou remember what Longfellow says?
"'Nothing that is can pause or stay, The moon will wax, the moon will wane, The mist and cloud will turn to rain, The rain to mist and cloud again, To-morrow be to-day.'"
"Yes, and November fogs will pass too. Well, dear Aunt Madge, I mustgo, and as usual you have cheered me up. What should I do without you,I wonder."
"I am glad you find the old log useful," returned Mrs. Broderick, "socome and grumble as often as you like. Greta is coming to tea with meto-morrow, and Mr. Alwyn has promised to fetch her. Why don't you cometoo, and you shall have a real Scotch tea, bannocks and scones and seedcake," but Olivia shook her head at this tempting invitation. "Marcushad asked her to go round to the model lodging houses," she said, "tosee two families in trouble. And then it was that poor boy's funeral."And then Mrs. Broderick said no more.
"Poor Livy," she said to herself, as she lay alone in the twilight,"one may make light of her little troubles, but they are real to her.And I do not wonder that she worries over Marcus. Dr. Randolph wasonly speaking of him this morning. He told me what a splendid workerhe was.
"'Bevan may be thankful to have got hold of such a man,' those were hisvery words. 'But he must be prudent and not burn the candle at bothends as Bevan did. "The foul fiend" has got hold of Harris now, he isDr. Mordaunt's partner, and was married a few weeks ago. Apollyon, aswe call it at our house, does not spare doctors,' but I hope, I reallydo hope, that Livy has not heard this."
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