by L. T. Meade
CHAPTER XXXIII.
A TETE-A-TETE.
Kitty Sharston, in the softest of white dresses, was playing Trevor'saccompaniments at the grand piano. He had a beautiful voice--a very richtenor. Kitty herself had a sweet and high soprano. The two now sangtogether. The music proceeded, broken now and then by snatches ofconversation. No one was specially listening to the young pair, althoughsome eyes were watching them.
In a distant part of the room Sir John Wallis and Mrs. Aylmer werehaving a tete-a-tete.
"I like him," said Sir John. "You are lucky in having secured so worthyan heir for your property."
"You don't like him better than I like your adopted child, MissSharston," was Mrs. Aylmer's low answer.
"Ay, she is a sweet girl--no one like her in the world," said Sir John."I almost grudge her to her father, much as I love him. We were comradeson the battle-field, you know. Perhaps he has told you that story."
"I have heard it, but not from him," said Mrs. Aylmer, with a smile."Your friendship for each other is quite of the David and Jonathanorder. And so, my good friend"--she laid her white hand for an instanton Sir John's arm--"you are going to leave your property to yourfavourite Kitty?"
Sir John frowned; then he said shortly: "I see no reason for denying thefact. Kitty Sharston, when it pleases God to remove me, will inherit mywealth."
"She is a sweet, very sweet girl," replied Mrs. Aylmer. She glanced downthe room; there was significance in her eyes.
Sir John followed her look. Kitty and Trevor had now stopped all music.Trevor was talking in a low tone to the girl; Kitty's head was slightlybent and she was pulling a white chrysanthemum to pieces.
"I wonder what he is saying to her?" thought Mrs. Aylmer. Then all of asudden she made up her mind. "I should like it," she said aloud; "Ishould like it much."
Sir John started, and a slight accession of colour came into his ruddycheeks.
"What do you mean?" he said.
"Have you never thought of it? It is right for the young to marry. Thiswould be a match after my own heart. Would it please you?"
"It would, if it were God's will," said Sir John emphatically. He lookedagain at the pair by the piano, and then across the long room to ColonelSharston. Colonel Sharston was absorbed in a game of chess with BerthaKeys. He was noticing nothing but the intricacies of the game.
"All the same," added Sir John, "her father and I are in no hurry to seeKitty settled in life. She is most precious to us both; we shouldscarcely know ourselves without her."
"Oh, come now, I call that selfish," said Mrs. Aylmer; "a pretty girlmust find her true mate, and there is nothing so happy as happy marriedlife."
"Granted, granted," said Sir John.
"You and I, Sir John, are not so young as we used to be. It would benice for us to see those we love united: to feel that whatever stormslife may bring they will bear them together. But say nothing to ColonelSharston on the subject yet. I am glad to feel that when _my son_, as Ialways called Maurice, proposes for _your daughter_, as you doubtlessthink Kitty, there will be no objection on your part."
"None whatever, except that I shall be sorry to lose her. I have a greatadmiration for Trevor; he is a man quite after my own heart."
Soon afterwards Sir John Wallis moved away.
Mrs. Aylmer, having sown the seed she desired to sow, was satisfied.From time to time the old man watched the pretty, bright-eyed girl.During the rest of the evening Trevor scarcely left her side; they hadmuch to talk over, much in common. Mrs. Aylmer was in the highestspirits.
"This is exactly what I want," she said to herself; "but I can see, forsome extraordinary reason, that notwithstanding his attentions, Mauricehas not fallen in love with that remarkably sweet girl. Whom has hegiven his heart to? If I thought for a single moment that Bertha wasplaying that game, I should dismiss her with a month's salary. But no:she would not dare. She is a clever woman and invaluable to me, andthere is no saying what clever women will not think of; but I do notbelieve even Bertha would go as far as that, and I warned her too. Forsome reason Maurice is not often with Bertha just now. Yes, I must bringthings to an issue. The Sharstons and Sir John leave on Monday. Mauricemust make up his mind to propose to Miss Sharston almost immediatelyafterwards. He can follow them to Southsea, where they have taken ahouse for the winter."
Mrs. Aylmer was quite cheerful as she thought over this.
"We will have a grand wedding in the spring," she said to herself, "andKitty shall come and live with me. I need not keep Bertha Keys whenKitty is always in the house. Kitty would suit me much better. I seldomsaw a girl I liked more thoroughly."
Meanwhile Kitty Sharston and her companion, little guessing the thoughtswhich were passing through the minds of their elders, were busilytalking over the one subject which now occupied all Trevor's thoughts.Like bees round a flower, these thoughts drew nearer and nearer everymoment to the subject of Florence Aylmer. Whenever Trevor was silent ordistrait Kitty would speak of Florence, and his attention was instantlyarrested. He began to talk in cheerful and animated tones. Incidents ofFlorence's life at school always made him laugh. He was glad to hear ofher small triumphs, which Kitty related to him with much _naivete_.
This evening, after a longer pause than usual, during which Kitty toreher chrysanthemum to pieces, and Mrs. Aylmer was quite certain thatMaurice was saying something very tender and suitable, Trevor broke thesilence by saying abruptly: "You have doubtless all sorts of prizes andcompetitions in your school life. Was Miss Aylmer ever remarkable forthe excellence of her essays and themes?"
"Ever remarkable for the excellence of her essays or themes?" saidKitty.
Before she could reply, Bertha, whose game was over, and who had justgiven an emphatic checkmate to her enemy, strolled across the room. Shestood near the piano and could overhear the two; Kitty's eyes met hers,and Kitty's cheeks turned pale.
"I don't think she was specially remarkable for the excellence of herwriting," said Kitty then, in a low voice.
"You surprise me. Such talent as she now possesses must have been moreor less inherent in her even as a child."
"It does not always follow," said Bertha, suddenly joining in theconversation. "I presume you are both talking of your favourite heroine,Florence Aylmer. But you remember an occasion, however, Miss Sharston,when Florence Aylmer _did_ receive much applause for a carefully-wordedessay."
"I do," said Kitty; "how dare you speak of it?" She rose to her feet inungovernable excitement, her eyes blazed, her cheeks were full ofcolour.
Another instant and she might have blurted out all the truth, and ruinedBertha for ever, had not that young lady laid her hand on her arm.
"Hush!" she whispered; "be careful what you say. Remember you injureher. Mr. Trevor, I think I see Mrs. Aylmer beckoning to you."
Mrs. Aylmer was doing nothing of the kind; but Trevor was obliged to goto her. Kitty soon subsided on her seat.
"Why did you say that?" she said.
"Can you not guess? I wanted to save the situation. Why should poorFlorence be suspected of having written badly when she was young? It ismuch more natural for you, who are her true friend, to uphold her and toallow people to think that the great talent which she now possesses wasalways in evidence. I spoke no less than the truth. That essay of herswas much commented on and loudly applauded."
"Oh, you know you have told a lie--the worst sort of lie," said Kitty."Oh, what am I to say? Sometimes I hate you."
"I know you hate me, but you have no cause to. I am quite on your side."
"I don't understand you; but I will not talk to you any further."
Kitty rose, crossed the room, and sat down by her father.
"She is a very nice girl; far too good to be thrown away on him,"thought Bertha to herself. "I admire her as I admire few people. She wasalways steadfast of purpose and pure of soul, and will be a charmingwife for a man who loves her, some day; but she is not for MauriceTrevor. He does not care _that_ for her! Yes, I know the old folks ar
eplotting and planning; but all their plots and plans will come tonothing. There will be a fine _fracas_ soon, and I must see, whateverhappens, that _my_ bread is well buttered."
