He would fain have waited to rivet his chains before manifesting them, but he knew Essie too well to expect her to keep the interview a secret; and he had no time to lose if, as he intended, though he had not told her so, he was to take her to Japan with him.
So he stormed the castle without delay, walked to Kencroft with the strawberry gatherers, found the Colonel superintending the watering of his garden, and, with effrontery of which Essie was unconscious, led her up, and announced their mutual love, as though secure of an ardent welcome.
He did, mayhap, expect to surprise something of the kind out of his slowly-moving uncle, but the only answer was a strongly accentuated "Indeed! I thought I had told you both that I would have none of this foolery. Esther, I am ashamed of you. Go in directly."
The girl repaired to her own room to weep floods of tears over her father's anger, and the disobedience that made itself apparent as soon as she was beyond the spell of that specious tongue. There were a few fears too for his disappointment; but when her mother came up in great displeasure, the first words were-
"O, mamma, I could not help it!"
"You could not prevent his accosting you, but you might have prevented his giving all this trouble to papa. You know we should never allow it."
"Indeed I only said if!"
"You had no right to say anything. When a young lady knows a man is not to be encouraged, she should say nothing to give him an advantage. You could never expect us to let you go to a barbarous place at the other end of the world with a man of as good as no religion at all."
"He goes to church," said Essie, too simple to look beyond.
"Only here, to please his mother. My dear, you must put this out of your head. Even if he were very different, we should never let you marry a first cousin, and he knows it. It was very wrong in him to have spoken to you."
"Please don't let him do it again," said Esther, faintly.
"That's right, my dear," with a kiss of forgiveness. "I am sure you are too good a girl really to care for him."
"I wish he would not care for me," sighed poor Essie, wearily. "He always was so kind, and now they are in trouble I couldn't vex him."
"Oh, my dear, young men get over things of this sort half a dozen times in their lives."
Essie was not delighted with this mode of consolation, and when her mother tenderly smoothed back her hair, and bade her bathe her face and dress for dinner, she clung to her and said-
"Don't let me see him again."
It was a wholesome dread, which Mrs. Brownlow encouraged, for both she and her husband were annoyed and perplexed by Robert's cool reception of their refusal. He quietly declared that he could allow for their prejudices, and that it was merely a matter of time, and he was provokingly calm and secure, showing neither anger nor disappointment. He did not argue, but having once shown that his salary warranted his offer, that the climate was excellent, and that European civilisation prevailed, he treated his uncle and aunt as unreasonably prejudiced mortals, who would in time yield to his patient determination.
His mother was as much annoyed as they were, all the more because her sister-in-law could hardly credit her perfect innocence of Robert's intentions, and was vexed at her wish to ascertain Esther's feelings. This was not easy! the poor child was so unhappy and shamefaced, so shocked at her involuntary disobedience, and so grieved at the pain she had given. If Robert had been set before her with full consent of friends, she would have let her whole heart go out to him, loved him, and trusted him for ever, treating whatever opinions were unlike hers as manly idiosyncrasies beyond her power to fathom. But she was no Lydia Languish to need opposition as a stimulus. It rather gave her tender and dutiful spirit a sense of shame, terror, and disobedience; and she thankfully accepted the mandate that sent her on a visit to her married sister for as long as Bobus should remain at Belforest.
He did not show himself downcast, but was quietly assured that he should win her at last, only smiling at the useless precaution, and declaring himself willing to wait, and make a home for her.
But this matter had not tended to make his mother more at ease in her enforced stay at Belforest, which was becoming a kind of gilded prison.
CHAPTER XXXI. SLACK TIDE.
If... Thou hide thine eyes and make thy peevish moan Over some broken reed of earth beneath, Some darling of blind fancy dead and gone. Keble.
There is such a thing as slack tide in the affairs of men, when a crisis seems as if it would never come, and all things stagnate. The Law Courts had as yet not concerned themselves about the will, vacation time had come and all was at a standstill, nor could any steps be taken for Lucas's exchange till it was certain into what part of India Sir Philip Cameron was going. In the meantime his regiment had gone into camp, and he could not get away until the middle of September, and then only for a few days. Arriving very late on a Friday night, he saw nobody but his mother over his supper, and thought her looking very tired. When he met her in the morning, there was the same weary, harassed countenance, there were worn marks round the dark wistful eyes, and the hair, whitened at Schwarenbach, did not look as incongruous with the face as hitherto.
No one else except Barbara had come down to prayers, so Jock's first inquiry was for Armine.
"He is pretty well," said his mother; "but he is apt to be late. He gets overtired between his beloved parish work and his reading with Bobus."
"He is lucky to get such a coach," said Jock. "Bob taught me more mathematics in a week than I had learnt in seven years before."
"He is terribly accurate," said Babie.
"Which Armie does not appreciate?" said Jock.
"I'm afraid not," said his mother. "They do worry each other a good deal, and this Infanta most of all, I'm afraid."
"O no, mother," said Babie. "Only it is hard for poor Armie to have two taskmasters."
"What! the Reverend Petronella continues in the ascendant?"
Bobus here entered, with a face that lightened, as did everyone's, at sight of Lucas.
"Good morning. Ah! Jock! I didn't sit up, for I had had a long day out on the moors; we kept the birds nearer home for you. There are plenty, but Grimes says he has heard shots towards River Hollow, and thinks some one must have been trespassing there."
"Have you heard anything of Elvira? apropos to River Hollow," said his mother.
"Yes," said Jock. "One of our fellows has been on a moor not far from where she was astonishing the natives, conjointly with Lady Anne Macnalty. There were bets which of three men she may be engaged to."
"Pending which," said his mother, "I suppose poor Allen will continue to hover on the wings of the Petrel?"
"And send home mournful madrigals by the ream," said Bobus. "Never was petrel so tuneful a bird!"
"For shame, Bobus; I never meant you to see them!"
"'Twas quite involuntary! I have trouble enough with my own pupil's effusions. I leave him a bit of Latin composition, and what do I find but an endless doggerel ballad on What's his name?-who hid under his father's staircase as a beggar, eating the dogs' meat, while his afflicted family were searching for him in vain;-his favourite example."
"St. Alexis," said Babie; "he was asked to versify it."
"As a wholesome incentive to filial duty and industry," said Bobus. "Does the Parsoness mean to have it sung in the school?"
"It might be less dangerous than 'the fox went out one moonshiny night,'" said their mother, anxious to turn the conversation. "Mr. Parsons brought Mr. Todd of Wrexham in to see the school just as the children were singing the final catastrophe when the old farmer 'shot the old fox right through the head.' He was so horrified that he declared the schools should never have a penny of his while they taught such murder and heresy."
"Served them right," said Jock, "for spoiling that picture of domestic felicity when 'the little ones picked the bones, oh!' How many guns shall we be, Bobus?"
"Only three. My uncle has a touch of gout, the Monk has got a tutorship, Joe has go
ne back to his ship, but the mighty Bob has a week's leave, and does not mean a bird to survive the change of owners."
"Doesn't Armine come?"
"Not he!" said Bobus. "Says he doesn't want to acquire the taste, and he would knock up with half a day."
"But you'll all come and bring us luncheon?" entreated Jock. "You will, mother! Now, won't you? We'll eat it on a bank like old times when we lived at the Folly, and all were jolly. I beg your pardon, Bob; I didn't mean to turn into another poetical brother on your hands, but enthusiasm was too strong for me! Come, Mother Carey, _do_!"
"Where is it to be?" she asked, smiling.
"Out by the Long Hanger would be a good place," said Bobus, "where we found the Epipactis grandiflora."
"Or the heathery knoll where poor little mother got into a scrape for singing profane songs by moonlight," laughed Jock.
"Ah! that was when hearts were light," she said; "but at any rate we'll make a holiday of it, for Jock's sake."
"Ha! what do I see?" exclaimed Jock, who was opposite the open window. "Is that Armine, or a Jack-in-the-Green?"
"Oh!" half sighed Barbara. "It's that harvest decoration!" And Armine, casting down armfuls of great ferns, and beautiful trailing plants, made his entrance through the open window, exchanging greetings, and making a semi-apology for his late appearance as he said-
"Mother, please desire Macrae to cut me the great white orchids. He won't do it unless you tell him, and I promised them for the Altar vases."
"You know, Armie, he said cutting them would be the ruin of the plant, and I don't feel justified in destroying it."
"Macrae's fancy," muttered Armine. "It is only that he hates the whole thing."
"Unhappy Macrae! I go and condole with him sometimes," said Bobus. "I don't know which are most outraged-his Freekirk or his horticultural feelings!"
"Babie," ordered Armine, who was devouring his breakfast at double speed, "if you'll put on your things, I've the garden donkey-cart ready to take down the flowers. You won't expect us to luncheon, mother?"
Barbara, though obedient, looked blank, and her mother said-
"My dear, if I went down and helped at the Church till half past twelve, could not we all be set free? Your brothers want us to bring their luncheon to them at the Hanger."
"That's right, mother," cried Jock; "I've half a mind to come and expedite matters."
"No, no, Skipjack!" cried Bobus; "I had that twenty stone of solid flesh whom I see walking up to the house to myself all yesterday, and I can't stand another day of it unmitigated!"
Entered the tall heavy figure of Rob. He reported his father as much the same and not yet up, delivered a note to his aunt, and made no objection to devouring several slices of tongue and a cup of cocoa to recruit nature after his walk; while Bobus reclaimed the reluctant Armine from cutting scarlet geraniums in the ribbon beds to show him the scene in the Greek play which he was to prepare, and Babie tried to store up all the directions, perceiving from the pupil's roving eye that she should have to be his memory.
Jock saw that the note had brought an additional line of care to his mother's brow, and therefore still more gaily and eagerly adjured her not to fail in the Long Hanger, and as the shooting party started, he turned back to wave his cap, and shout, "Sharp two!"
Two o'clock found three hungry youths and numerous dead birds on the pleasant thymy bank beneath the edge of the beach wood, but gaze as they might through the clear September air, neither mother, brother, nor sister was visible. Presently, however, the pony-carriage appeared, and in it a hamper, but driven only by the stable-boy. He said a gentleman was at the house, and Mrs. Brownlow was very sorry that she could not come, but had sent him with the luncheon.
"I shall go and see after her," said Jock; and in spite of all remonstrance, and assurance that it was only a form of Parsonic tyranny, he took a draught of ale and a handful of sandwiches, sprang into the carriage, and drove off, hardly knowing why, but with a yearning towards his mother, and a sense that all that was unexpected boded evil. Leaving the pony at the stables, and walking up to the house, he heard sounds that caused him to look in at the open library window.
On one side of the table stood his mother, on the other Dr. Demetrius Hermann, with insinuating face, but arm upraised as if in threatening.
"Scoundrel!" burst forth Jock. Both turned, and his mother's look of relief and joy met him as he sprang to her side, exclaiming, "What does this mean? How dare you?"
"No, no!" she cried breathlessly, clinging to his arm. "He did not mean-it was only a gesture!"
"I'll have no such gestures to my mother."
"Sir, the honoured lady only does me justice. I meant nothing violent. Zat is for you English military, whose veapon is zie horse- vhip."
"As you will soon feel," said Jock, "if you attempt to bully my mother. What does it mean, mother dear?"
"He made a mistake," she said, in a quick, tremulous tone, showing how much she was shaken. "He thinks me a quack doctor's widow, whose secret is matter of bargain and sale."
"Madame! I offered most honourable terms."
"Terms, indeed! I told you the affair is no empirical secret to be bought."
"Yet madame knows that I am in possession of a portion of zie discovery, and that it is in my power to pursue it further, though, for family considerations, I offer her to take me into confidence, so that all may profit in unison," said the Greek, in his blandest manner.
"The very word profit shows your utter want of appreciation," said Mrs. Brownlow, with dignity. "Such discoveries are the property of the entire faculty, to be used for the general benefit, not for private selfish profit. I do not know how much information may have been obtained, but if any attempt be made to use it in the charlatan fashion you propose, I shall at once expose the whole transaction, and send my husband's papers to the Lancet."
Hermann shrugged his shoulders and looked at Lucas, as if considering whether more or less reason could be expected from a soldier than from a woman. It was to him that he spoke.
"Madame cannot see zie matter in zie light of business. I have offered freely to share all that I shall gain, if I may only obtain the data needful to perfect zie discovery of zie learned and venerated father. I am met wit anger I cannot comprehend."
"Nor ever will," said Caroline.
"And," pursued Dr. Hermann, "when, on zie oder hand, I explain that my wife has imparted to me sufficient to enable me to perfectionate the discovery, and if the reserve be continued, it is just to demand compensation, I am met with indignation even greater. I appeal to zie captain. Is this treatment such as my proposals merit?"
"Not quite," said Jock. "That is to be kicked out of the house, as you shortly will be, if you do not take yourself off."
"Sir, your amiable affection for madame leads you to forget, as she does, zie claim of your sister."
"No one has any claim on my mother," said Jock.
"Zie moral claim-zie claim of affection," began the Greek; but Caroline interrupted him-
"Dr. Hermann is not the person fitly to remind me of these. They have not been much thought of in Janet's case. I mean to act as justly as I can by my daughter, but I have absolutely nothing to give her at present. Till I know what my own means may prove to be I can do nothing."
"But madame holds out zie hope of some endowment. I shall be in a condition to be independent of it, but it would be sweet to my wife as a token of pardon. I could bear away a promise."
"I promise nothing," was the reply. "If I have anything to give- even then, all would depend on your conduct and the line you may take. And above all, remember, it is in my power to frustrate and expose any attempt to misuse any hints that may have been stolen from my husband's memoranda. In my power, and my duty."
"Madame might have spared me this," sighed the Athenian. "My poor Janette! She will not believe how her husband has been received."
He was gone. Caroline dropped into a chair, but the next moment she almost screamed-
>
"Oh, we must not let him go thus! He may revenge it on her! Go after him, get his address, tell him she shall have her share if he will behave well to her."
Jock fulfilled his mission according to his own judgment, and as he returned his mother started up.
"You have not brought him back!"
"I should rather think not!"
"Janet's husband! Oh, Jock, it is very dreadful! My poor child!"
She had been a little lioness in face of the enemy, but she was trembling so hopelessly that Jock put her on a couch and knelt with his arm round her while she laid her head on his strong young shoulder.
"Let me fetch you some wine, mother darling," he said.
"No, no-to feel you is better than anything," putting his arm closer-
"What was it all about, mother?"
"Ah! you don't know, yet you went straight to the point, my dear champion."
"He was bullying you, that was enough. I thought for a moment the brute was going to strike you."
"That was only gesticulation. I'm glad you didn't knock him down when you made in to the rescue."
She could laugh a little now.
"I should like to have done it. What did he want? Money, of course?"
"Not solely. I can't tell you all about it; but Janet saw some memoranda of your father's, and he wants to get hold of them."
"To pervert them to some quackery?"
"If not, I do him great injustice."
"Give them up to a rogue like that! I should guess not! It will be some little time before he tries again. Well done, little mother!"
"If he will not turn upon her."
"What a speculation he must have thought her."
"Don't talk of it, Jock; I can't bear to think of her in such hands."
"Janet has a spirit of her own. I should think she could get her way with her subtle Athenian. Where did he drop from?"
"He overtook me on my way back from the Church, for indeed I did not mean to break my appointment. I don't think the servants knew who was here. And Jock, if you mention it to the others, don't speak of this matter of the papers. Call it, as you may with truth, an attempt to extort money."
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