MARRIAGE BONDS; OR, CHRISTIAN HAZELL'S MARRIED LIFE.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 230, 29 September 1888, Page 6

MARRIAGE BONDS; OR, CHRISTIAN HAZELL'S MARRIED LIFE.

By the Author of ' Hedged■ With Thorna,

CHAPTER IV.

;«The Arbubhnots are coming to call on you to-morrow,' remarked Alick, as lie laid down hits cup. '1 hope you will be prepared for them.'; .' : A ' Do you like tbafc Mrs Arbubhnot v AliCk ? 'Well! I don't know that I like her or ' dislike her. I have known her evor sitice 1 can remember. She is a regular woman of the world.'.., . ■ *n »> ' Do you care for ■women ot the world : .'Certainly there ia one thing i". their ' favour, they .have no übimnse.ab.oub them. Christian was silent j she knew that this implied there iw-s nonaetipe ab.jtit nor. 'I fancy Mrs Arbutlmob t< rather satirical*' said she, .after, an uncomfortable pause. ■'■..-■'. ','■'■■■-■ "■>;.:. .'", , 1 11 havo no doubt she is ■when people place themselves iii positions to provoice her d Another homorthrusfc.; Had nob phris- . tWtobMP a.,ta»-'»eb for Mrs Arbubhnots .. 'satire, and had not thab tarßeb been AlioK himself? ■ . ■ ■ ~ ' ' , ~ 'Is this Miss Desmond; Mrs Arbubhnot s niece that she was tolling mo about, so very haudsome '!' asked Christian hurriedly. It was absolutely necessary to say something to till up the awkward B'j am a bad person to ask; I have not seen her since she was quite a child.' . • And Mr Desmond, what is he like ? 'Oh ! he is a pompous, proud old fellow, with a big nose ; a very important person in the country, though. Mrs Arbuthnob and! her'sister were West Indian.?.. Tney lost their estates and came over to Ireland on a visit. 'Ib was said thafc Mrs Arbubhpot intended old Dosmond. for heivelf,but any-way he took her sister and she had to content herself with . Captain Arbuthnot, wlio . had nothing but his salary as a poor-law commissioner, He died very soon, and left Mrs .Arbubhnob •with hardly anything; but just then pr sister Mrs Desmond was carried oft by a fit of cholera, arid old Desmond took Lady Sarah—Mrs Arbuthnbt is sometimes called .Lady Sarah-info his house arid there she has heenever sines. '. •; 'Perhaps he will m«rry her.' 'How can he when she is his siater-m* law f " Bub people do'say that Mrs' Arbuthr not does intend to hook old Deemond into a match if the bill to legalise the marriage ■would only pass. Bub I expect she would have to marry off Rose first, and Kose used "to be the most self-willed little monkey that ever lived; she bib Eustace's finjror nearly throueh one day in a passion, and I'll be bound her aunt would find her a still customer now.' ' ~.' ' Mrs Arbuthnot seemed quite indignant at this Miss Desmond being confused with those gii'lrf tjiat were with her to-day.' '.'.'.'. 'She might keep her indignation, then. 'The Arbuthnots are fine handsome young women, and capitally turned out. By-the-by, that reminds me, Christian, that whoever made your trousseau bungled it most fearfully.' You- haven't,» dress that tits well, and that blue one yon wore to-day is the worst of all. The trimmings are quite crooked. Your-clothes have no air, no style about them—quite different from the Arbuthnots'get-up.' 'I am sorry for it,' replied Christian meekly. ' Miss Bonnetb, tho Comptoti Binder dressmaker, is considered a vary good one.' • So she may he by the Compton Dinder« ifces, bub by nobody else. Gracious I' cried Aliek, throwing himself back with a yawn, *it is only just ten. I musb go and have another cigar. Upon, my word these, ovo^'l ings are getting deucedly long, shut up here together by oursclveei like two bird! in 1 a cage.' ' ■' ■■■•;;'- ■■ ■ ■■■ •■' • ,' ■■■-■ ' • So he ebrolled out of the room arid left Christian by herself, l , 'Ibis all my foolish, foolish fault,' ehe thought. 'Alick was quite kjrid, and pleasant yesterday, and now ho is ho curt and cold. I thought marriage would be differentfrom this; that everything would be" sure <to go on well, but. now I have made Alick seem ridiculous, and he almoab hafces me for it. Last Sunday he praised that very blue dress, and now iie doo3 nothing but abuse ib. And those Arbubhnots have such a contemptuous "way about them, and I feel so strange and lonely. Oh! whatcanldo? What canl do?' ■ Arid the thi'ee-weeks-old bride rocked herself bo and fro. How and then a sbrong passionate call for Bomebhmg~she kne^v' not what—shot through her, but. she could , not tell whence it came or whither ib went." Presently Alick returned. As luck would have it ? the unfortunate extractbook which Christian had brought home herself happened to b6 lying on the table.' The moment Alick caught sight of ib ho pushed it angrily from him, so , that ib fell on the floor. . .-> ' Don't let mo ever see that foolish book again,' he cried. "' Ib is an absurd, childish thing to be hauling out a greab manuscript volume like that, all full of ridiculous scraps of paper which go flying in all directions.! It) would have been far better if you had spent your time in writing out, receipts for pastry.' ~" ■ 'I will p«b if: up,'ans,wered Christian in a subdued' tone. 'I will lock'ib in a drawer, and you shall never see ib again. Shall we have prayers now, Aljick V r ' Yea, if you like.' % Christian wen b fclwough their "uauali devotions, in the faint hope;;that they might soften Alick'sl resentment. As, he was lighting the candle in their room she looked up and said— -• 1 Alick; won't you say something kind ? Won't you say "DearChrissie?" ' 'Don't tease>' he answered peevishly; 'don't pester and; anndy me.' 'Just say "Dear Chriasie" :onlj/ once, and that will do.' ' Very well, then—"Dear ChHssie." ' The tone was sbiU harsh and cold,, but; Christian was better satisfied; than before, and ehe tfe&t to slsop hoping that all mighb: yeb be well.. ■; :- ■~.;;; ' •:'.■,,:;;.: ~■, ■~;'. . ■■/

CHAPTER V.

NEWS FROM EABLEY HILL.,■■... . : 46h,meik]othinkamylu?eo'my beauty, ! And meiklp tliinks niy luve o aay km, , i ; ; M ■My tochers the purl has charms of him. I • It's a' for the1 apple he'll nourish th« tree, It's a'for thehiniiylte'll cherish the; Dee, My laddi6's saewe&le in luvewi tbesiuer, *Ho can hae nao liive to spare tor me. , . :';'." .':..■• i ;: ■■■'■■' v Robertßukns. | The Arbuthnots du]y came to call the] next day, Mrs Arbuthnot Hand and: Bweetly patronising, thougha tinge of satire: "would occasionally pass, through; her sinoothesfc speeches: .As for the. young ladies, .tall, magnificent, and faultlessly arrayed, they sat up and eyed Christian from the rosettes on her shoes to the bow in her:hair, and they decided that she had; "nb style, no fashion, no anything. ThenAlick came in, and there *»yas a vast increase' of animation, H6 supplied the necessary: *.fillip' to the ladies, a,nd eager cries began, 'of ■'Gh ! Mr Hazellj cm you ever forget the' charming - time we had at Gwalior ?'.' aod * What a muff that §ld major in the Hydeta-' bad Cavalry was, who went so wild aboiitj Fanny,1 wasn't he?' and 'Do you remember' •that fearful row about 'the, dear colonel's | * ljunfalow; at Secunderabad.?■ To all these] rapturous^^exclamations A^ c:b had appro-1 priate smiles and.answers.,^ •:■ '.;| ( So pleasant for Mr Hazell and my nieces; to meet, isn't it V .whispered Mrs Arbuthnot^ to Christian. ' You wbtft be jealous, Jam 4 now will you? Ah ! 'I tihowght not,; ■•".•. - ■ •. - .■ . J*

You eeem such a dear, quiet little mouse of a tHinif. ' 1 believe ray niece ianny was hither a favourite, with your husband at one time, bub I daresay he has chosen far better for his own happiness, and no doubt you are devoted, to each other. , ' When, at .last, the visitors rdse to go, Aliok volunteered to see them hottie.^ He turned oub of the gtiU between Magnificent Miss Fanny and stylish Miss Louisa, ■fiburtahirisfhis cane, aha nearly getting his j hat knocked off by the two, laoe parftsols ; which towered proudly over his tesL . The next week was an Arbuttanob week, There wore more visits, and a boating party, and;a dinner affche hotel, besides continually meeting the young ladies at all hours of the clay, so that their wide-open light-coloured eyes and their jaunty yachtin> costumes became more ■ and more familiar. There was evea, by Alick b special deaire, a lunch given for them at Laurel Cotta K o, and that lunch was a . decided tfial for Chmttan. All the monriug Alick was fidgeting about, picking up loose threads from the oarpat, or dipping away imaginary specks, of dust with an antitaacassal'. Then he suddenly started up with an inquiry tor Some -dinner napkins which had been entrusted to Christian: in order to bo hemmed. 'Much better employment for you, my dear,! am sure, than copying out poetry, in an album.' , ' • And Llm utter scorn with which these words had been said had added additional' meaning to them. But tills time Ghl'istian had a checkmate prepared. • The dmtier napkins were hemmed and folded all ready in a drawer. She now pointed to them triumpliantiy. Alick, however, was not tb be daunted ; he took them up and examined them critically. In tho iirat place they were crookedly ottt, and some of the stitches wcro extremely uneven. ■ They would never do, no! never. So out; caino a penknife, and every one of Christian's neat, careful, stiches was ruthlessly severed. Then, when the company were actually sitting round the table, 'Christian, Christian, my dear!1 was appealed to every minute. There were startling demands ior Harvey eauco, for chutney, for marmalade, for everything which was not forthcoming. Finally there came an appalling call for.' more tumblers,' ending in.an order for Mrs Dobbs to go and borrow some. The guests looked on and smiled significantly, while Christian writhed on her cliljir, and endured agonies of nervousness and blushes. She could have borne it all better if Alick had nob still | kept up his cold, harsh manner in private, j She know tie had not quite forgiven her; She could not exactly complain of anything ; there were no jarring discords, still less "were there any bursts of unexpected harmony. Their intercourse resembled a, rniid, murky atmosphere, without sun or storm. The morning after the Arbuthnots' lunch, Christian was sitting in the bow window, watching the Bath chairs and perambulators on their way to the beach, when a telegraph'boy dawdled up the cockehell pa> h. 1 Here is a telegram for you, Alick,' cried Christian; ' I suppose it is from Ireland, to aay the house is ready, and, indeed, I shall not be sorry to leave SundingtQn. I daresay those Miss_ Arbnthnots may be very clever and amusinff, bub they make a. terrible noise, and 1 am quite tired of their everlasting chatter about Mrs Thisbody and Captain Otlierbody. It geems to me very bad taste to talk so much about their own friends, whom I have never heard of before.'

Alick would, certainly have replied to t!iis speech if ho had nob been busy with the brown envelope, which was addressed, not to Mr bub to Mrs Hazell, and which came} not from Ireiand, but from Barley Hill, Alick read out the message as follows: —' Your au.ifc Lizzie wa? taken very ill this morning. The symptoms daugei'ous. Come to her at once.' .

' Oh !,poor Aunt Lizzie !' cried Christian, while the ready toarsgufihed out. {How droadfut to think of her being ill 1 she seemed so well and in such good spirits when wo left Barley Hill only a month «go< Bnt why am I, sitting here?' sho cried) stai*ting up. . 'Of course I ought to bo getting ready to go to her.' » f It is all very well to say 'Come at once,'' observed Alickj as ho paced fussily up and down, 'but it is easier aaid than done. There are a great many things to be considered. For my part, I don't know how we are to manage it.' , ■ .' Manage it! It mnsi be managed.' 11 thought,' said Alick, ' you would like to stay here longer, arid having our friends the Avbiifchnots rriakos it pleasant for you, and so I took on theeo lodgings for another fortnight, and now we shitil have to pay for them whether we stay or not' .' What signifies the loss of a fow pounds ?' burst out Christian indignantly. 'It signifies a good deal,'"replied Alick } 'and;then, you know, we are engaged to dine with the Arbuthnots this evening.' 'How can you think of that, at such a time as this ?'

'Bub let me consider,' mad Alick slowly. 'Is your aiiut Lizzie the Keireas' of the iamijy ? Is it she who hto a iarger income than any of the others ?' ;! Yes, yes, 1 answereOi t>hr^tian impatiently ; ' but what conse^i iWct. is that V 'And you' are her fa vouii t nit'je,' pursued' Alick, 'aren't you?' ' 4 Yes, I believe—l know \ an. When I was quite a. little thing slm uyfc3 to keep apricot jain foi- me, 'and, A^m !.n\v- dolls. She was never a bib like an oli nuvid'

' Sho has no other niece, Kka f>ha ?' ,1 'Oh, yes. Uncle Freemasi has severa little girls, but she never cared for them aty ail. I don't think: she tins seen them mor.% than once or twice ; but, Alioit, what we you asking all these questions for ? W'4».tft you go and see about the truing ?' } 'Yes,' yes, dearest. , I am gv)ing tcu the< station directly.^ :':I suppose yov\ are y^h*, and wo had tetter set on as soon, as p«ossible. It pertainlyCi) rather provojeing to^imve to pajj that. A^rs pobbs somebliin{r over ten pounds for nothing at all, but it can't be .helped.' ~ ■■ ■ ■' -\ ~. : ' He was juet leaving ;the room when he pUt his head in at the door, ■; 'Isn't ycjur.aunt Lizzie; tbe weakly 'little Christie, with tbe,-lighbhair ? She looks as if she hadn't much stamina ,-fcti her-r-just the Sort,of person to drop off like k shot.' 'Oh! don't say that, 1 cried Chrissie. ' Surely, surely, Alick, you think she will recover ?'

1 That I can't take it upon me to say,iffiy dear,'he replied coiriplacently. 'I phould fear, however, that iii is^xtreaialy probable that she;will .not. >"Ehe best thing; you can do is .-to, .pack up at onco. 1 • expocb we niust leave this;before three;', , • >:

(To tie Cofilinued.)