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

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 241, 12 October 1888, Page 4

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

&y the Author of ' Hedged With Thorh§.

CHAPTER XI

(Contiuuad.)

* I declare,' cried Rose, ' if thab isn't Mr 3 Mullagban's old noddy. Don't you see. the

man driving it up and down ? Depend upon t she and Aunt Arbuthnot are just at luncheon. If we don't look sharp they will eat up all the best things, and leave us nothing worth having, and I know our ride has made me as hungry as a hunter.'

.So Rose hurried on to the diniug-room and flung open the door. Mrs Arbuthnot, in her flowing black draperies, rose from the table.

' My dear Rose,' sho exclaimed, ' how impetuous, how charmingly inpetuous, you are ! And who is this you have got with you? Actually Mrs Alick Hazell. Why, I can hardly believe my eyes. I am enchanted to see yon, dear Mrs Hazell ; but really it is too kind of yon to waive ceremony in this way. Only this very morning I said to Mrs Desmond, ' Well, certainly I must let no moro time pass. I musb order put the carriage and- pay my devoirs at Moynaity.' But now you have indeed forestalled me.'

' It was I that made Mrs Hazell come back with me,' interrupted Rose bluntly. ' Bother ceremony ! I say. What on earth matter is it, Aunt Arbuthnot, whether you go,to see her first or she comes to sec yon? I have have been to see tier, at any »at/fe, and that's enongh. lam the mi-tress here, I believe.' Mrs Arbuthnot's sallow face changed colour, and she bit her thin lips. 4 'Of course, dear Rose, she murmured, ' of course no one is going to dispute your rights.' 'We have had a famous ride,' continued Rose, 'all round by Dooly's farm. Mrs Hazell sits a horse uncommon well, much better than one would think to look at tier. She was game at all bho fences, and never funked one. What muffs the girls in England must be ! They stick to the roads, people tell me. Who would bo bothered wibh that ? What's for luncheon ? Cold beef ! I hate that. I'll ring for something hot. Sit down, Mrs Hazeil. We will have something worth e-ttin'g presently.' 'lam convinced Mis Hazel rides well," said Mrs Arbuthnot blandly, not noticing Rose's remark as to the funehfon, 'butl a?ri surprised that Alick has allowed h"< r to take out that chestnut mare of his. J. know he values the animal so very highly. Mr Desmond was thinking of buying her; and the price Alick tasked was something astonishing. He made the greatest, fuss about her points and so on. These young Wives, however, can coax .their husbands to do anything for them, can't they, Mrs Mullaghan ?' 'Indeed I believe they can,' answered stout, red-cheeked Mrs Mullaghan, whose purple bonnet-strings were lied in a loos 6 knot under her double chin, and who now put out a fat, puggy hand to Christian ; \and whywouldn't they? Come and sit by me, my dear; I'll make room for you. What's that you're saying—that Mr Hazell didn't know that you had taken out his mare? Well, never mind. I daresay he II be pleased enough that you had the diversion of the ride, not but that he's ticklish about some things. I kno.v him well, and why wouldn't I? Sure he and Eustace were always at the doctor's when they were little chaps. Bobby—that's my son, my gon Bobby, you know, the finest young mart ever seen, with the biggest black eyes in the country—weil, he had a cage of spar-row-hawks, and nothing would do the two boys but to eet one apiece, and Bobby, he was so good-natured,, he made nothing of giving up his birds to them, though lie thought a power of them himself, and there weren't any like them to be had for love or money.' 'Poor Mrs Mullaghan,' whispered Mrs Arbuthnot in Christian's ear; ' she does go on in such a way about those sons of hers. An excellent person she is, bub fearfully Irish,',as you may perceive, and tantaoit yeu vulghire.' She is the v/ife Of our family physician, so of course we are bound to keep on good terms with her. Yes, Mrs Mnilaghan,' she said aloud, ' and what was the'end of these Wonderful sparrow-hawks? lam really most anxious to know. Pray relieve our anxiety.'

1 Well, nothing would do; Alick but to sell bis; and who do you think bought it? Who but that very Andy Moran that there's such a bother about just now ? He gave Alick a shilling for it, and he used to say that when he got it home he found it had its wing broke^ Alick was always a sharp, 'cute little chap, so he was.' •'* This Andy Moran is likely to prove a troublesome customer to Alick,' remarked Mrs Arbuthnot,' as she helped Rose a second time to cutlets. ' I hear' he refuses to leave that cabin he'is in on any terms.' 'I'dadvise Alick to lave him alone,' said Mrs'Mullaghan, ' or maybe he'll get more than he bargains for, and raise a hornet's nest about his ears. Any way, the doctor says so, and it's he that ought to know, for he has lived in Ballintrague, man and boy, for these fifty years ; and my son Dicky, that's in the navy—and Dicky was always a knowledgeable lad he wrote over the same thing'this very morning. I'd no idaya the navy was such a nice place for a young man. Dicky says he's asked out sq much he doesn't know what to do. Sir Achilles and Lady Hutchinson sent him a tine piinted invite to a grand garden-party before he'd been a week in Portsmouth. It's Dicky that is having the fine time.' ' Hew pleasant it must be to get such interesting letters from him!' said Mrs Arbuthnot smoothly; * but to return to Alick,- I really think he ia' very much to be felt for with this dreadful Andy Moran. What can be moreprov'o'kine than to see the smoke of these dirty creatures' cabin going up among his tree.., and for them to" have paid no rent, and actually to refuse to turn out, arid maintain that the place is their own ? I suppose the law will settle the business, but still such a thing could not be possible for a f moment in any other country but this barbarous degraded Ireland,' 'Alick has offered them money to go,' said Christians clear, pure voice, which sounded all tbe clearer and purer from the contrast with Mrs Mullaghan's brogue. ' He offered them five pounds first, arid then he raised it to twenty, but they won't take a farthing. I daresay they may be very much to blame, but still they seem so wonderfully'attached to the place that I can't help feeling a little sorry for them.' * How kind you must be !' exclaimed Mrs Arbuthnot; ' but I assure yo-u this Andy Morari is a perfect ruffian. Mr Desmond, my brother-in-law, one of the quietest, mildest then in the world, had him taken up once for shooting a hare—quite a flagrant case it was—and only think, he got the moat frightful threatening letter you ever saw, • all covered with smears of blood and skull, and crossbones, and everything horrid, so Mr Desmond thought it wiser to dismiss the proceedings altogether. The fact is, the man is a sort of Rory.of the Hill, who tries to frighten everybody^ and they say he is banded together with other desperate characters, and gives the police no end of trouble. What a pity these wild Irish cannot be kept down better ! I always look upon them just in the same way that we used to look upon the blacks in the West Indies —the faster they emigrate the better; and as for Such ruffians as Andy Moran,.l think he ought to be hung or

whipped ; such people absolutely make ono recoil from the lower orders.'

' Oh, bother take the lower orders !'. cried Rose : • I'm sure I Rave heard enough about them for one day. Take some more plum-tart,-Mrs Hazell ; you .see I hay 'Yes, Mrs Hazell,' put in Mrs Arbuthnot's bland voice, ' do let me persuade you to take something more. No! I am afraid this stolen ride has not given you a good appetite : and Rosa, my love, aren't you going to take off that habit ? It makesrae quite hot to see you in such a heavy cloth affair.' ■

'Not a bit of mo v^'l toke it off,' answered Rose, whose speech, was not always seasoned with grammar. ' I like to keep ib on When I once put it on : it suits my figure, and becomes me better than anything else ; and besides, the 9th Lancers have just ccn„e to Balrintrague'. lam sure Captain Newboit will be out this afternoon, and I mean to give the Crui.kcen Lawn a gallop to let him see her paces.' 'Ah ! these young people,' sighed Mrs Arbuthnot; 'it is so dilficuib to keep them in any kind of order. I know I have, had to give up the attempt long ago. I do wish,'she added in a whisper to Mr Mullaghan, ' that our clear Rose had somebody who could control her—sweet, beautiful, headstrong darling that she is.' 'Beautiful indeed !' chimed in Mrs Mill- i laghan. 'As the doctor was saying this in ruing, there's nob the like of her to be s:en anywhere. It's she that is the beauty of the country and the pride of the barony. You may well take a brag out of her, Mrs Aibublinot ; sure there's not a nobleman that wouldn't be proud and glad to be ab her feet.' These speeches had not the slightest effect on Rose ; she did not even smile, but coolly went on with her luncheon as if such raises were far too common to be taken notice of. Then she took the last apricot Irom the dish, and stood at the window crunching the juicy fruit under her full rosy lips, and looking down the avenue for Captain Newboit. * 1 think it is time for me to say goodbye,' said Christian, getting up. ' I don't want to be out late, especially when Alick does not know where I am.' ' Oh, nonsense !' cried Rose, with an impatient toss of her head, ■' you shall stay to dinner now that you are here. I would not think of letting you go away; you. must come oat with me aud Captain Newbolt, and we will leave Aunt Arbuthnot with Mrs Mulligan. You know you can't go if I'choose to keep you, because I won't, f,.t any of the grooms ride home wibh you, and you. can't go by yourself, so there ! If you stay till the evening Captain Newboit will be riding past Moynaity, and he can fe i\ c yon at bhe door.' ' A capital arrangement,' put in Mrs A-bnbhiiot; 'and lam sure Alick is no tyrant; when the servants at Moyn.lfcy toll him you went out with Rose, his mind will, no doubt, be quite at rest about you. Besides,- brides are always privileged, anu if I remember rightly Alick som_tifnes 'stole-.:!, march on yo-i, my dear Mrs Hazed, [even at Sandi.gton, and you took ib so

arnica hly.' The vivid colour rushed to Christian's1 fee. .

' I wish I could get away,' she s»id, with a d-.sati.ficd look. ' I don't know what Alick will think of me.'

'Fiddle-de-dee!' exclaimed Rose, impatiently. 'One would think he was trie Sultan of Turkey to hear you talk, and that he would put you in a bag and drown you in the river if you took a little diversion. People in Ireland are always stopping at each other's houses. Papa is dying tc meet you, too, and I know he would be mad with me if I let you away before dinner. Come, I see Captain Newboit now ; suppose sve go and rnceb him ?'

Gathering up tho folds of her habit with tho air of a young; Diana, Rose stepped from tho low window on to the terrace walk, while Christian, not without some hesitation, followed her. Rose's voice naturally took an imperious tone ; she was so self-willed, so accustomed to govern and to be obeyed, that; it was very hard to resist her. Christian did not know how to doit, and there .was a charm—though it might only be a charm of novelty—in Rose's blnntness. in her wonderful beauty, even in her undisguised selfishness, which seemed to carry everything before it. It was pleasant, too, to escape for a time from the dull brown drawing-room at Moynaity,-from the, sluggish lake, from the gloomy castle, and from those dim forebodings which would, occasionally peep over Christian's shoulder. It was pleasant to exchange the atmosphere, to be in a new place and with new people, even though the place might be Desmondborough, with itItalian portico, its orthodox walnut furniture, and its monotonous ribbon flower b rders, and two of the people might be Mrs Mullaghan and Captain Newboit. Still, .as Christian walked along by Rose's side, the thought would oftt>n dart across her, ' What will Alink say to me ? 1 really don't know how to help myself. I must just tell him honestly how it all happened, and surely he cannot mind very much.' The moment Captain Newboit saw the two ladies coming towards him he got off hi:? horse, and they walked together to the house. He Avas called by all his young lady acquaintances ' such a nice fellow !' Not particularly handsome, not partictr lady tall, not particularly anything, but just ' nice,' with nice hands and feet, a nice moustache, nice ejes, nicely cut clothes, and a nice amount of appropriate small talk. He was taken out to the garden, plums were picked and eaten, and then Rose,' mounting on Cruiskeen Lawn, cantered up and down to show her paces, while Captain Newboit leant, over the iron railings and murmured short admiring sentences such as, * Well done, Miss Desmond. Bravo ! that's first-rate ; a regular clipper this Cruiskeen of yours. Capitally jumped, I declare; you know how to do things in a style. Splendid seat on a horse Miss Desmond has—splendid figure too ; don't you agree with me, Mrs Hazell ?'

! A little saUnteririg about' the .Shrubberies, a little chit-chat,, and a discussion about a dance shortly to be given jit the Ballintragu- Barracks, passed ' away the time till the dinner-hour, when the trio assembled in the drawing room. Christian, in her habit, felt more and more uncomfortable, but going then trial out of the question, . dnd 'the only thing •to be done was. to take Mt Desmond's proffered arm and proceed to the dining-room. His old-fashioned courtly compliments about the honour she had done him by staying, and the . unexpected p'easure it was to find her a guest at his house, rather added to her uneasiness. Mr Desmond had seen Alick at Ballintrague, and when he had inquired for- Mrs Hazell he had heard that she was at home, busy about her gardens. Mr Desmond was slightly deaf, and lon* explanations were quite thrown away upon him, so it was a decided relief when Mrs Mullaghan, who was sitting next to Christian, .arid who had also been persuaded to stay, struck into the conversation :~-

'Sure I don't wonder at anyone being glad to get away from that gloomy old Moynaity. A young creature stuck up alone there all day, with Alick out, why it's enough to turn your brain, so it is. But wait till you have a fine large family round you, then it'll be different. My son Bobby, he is a clergyman down at Mallow; a splendid preacher he is ...too, with a voice that would rouse the dead. He often tells me that he feels that lonely he doesn't know what to do with himself (it's a place something like Moynaity where he lives ; and says I to him, * Why, Bobby, the cure is in your own hands ; there's not a girl anywhere that wouldn't be glab 1 aj nd proud to own you, and then you'll soon have noise enough ; and if Irish girls are not to your liking, then be off to England arid {iick up one of those grand rich heiresses; as Mr Hazell ia after doing.' .;" i

' Indeed 1 was not an }ie)rc3_,' stammered Christian,' as she nervously crumbled her bread. . ' Whoever said that was quite

wrong.' ' Then it was no other but Alick his own self,' cried Mrs Mullaghan .triumphantly. ' Sure didn't he write word to the doctor t iat he expected to get.a splendid fine fortune, and maybe it will all come right iv the end, for moneys money, if it comes first or last ; and though one of your aunts.may have cut you off to the tune of nothing:, sure there are a parcel more, I hear, as rich &; rich can be.'

'Mrs Hazell doesn't-want riches,' said Mr Desmond with a courteous bow ; ' she is independent of them ; she carries a store oi riches about with her.'

' I am afraid everyone does not, think so,' answered Christian, with a smile that was half a sigh.

' I hear Alick is determined to begin proceedings against this Andy Moran,' said Mr Desmond ; ' I hope he won't, get himself into hot water if he does. Why don't you use your influence, Mrs Hazell?—no doubt it is all-powerful.' ....

•I did t ,' answered Christian; 'but Alick is no. inclined to take any advice, and mine least of all. Of course I don't know the country as he does.'

' Alick hob take your advice !' cried Mrf« Arbuthnot from the foot of the table. ' Fie ! fie ! I am astonished to hear you talk so. Why, I should have imagined that you could twirl him round your little finger, a young wife like yon. Captain Newboit, what do you say ?' ;

Captain Newboit ca3t an admiring glanCe at Rose, and affirmed that for his part he was quite ab the mercy of any lady who chose to command him, no matter what he was asked to do ; but Christian fired up at this, and declared that she did not Want Alick to obey her implicitly, that she would be very sorry to think he would do any thing just because she asked him, and for no better reason. All this had no interest for good Mrs Mullaghan, and she soon fe igan to enlarge on the grandeur of Sir Achilles Hutchinson's entertainment: how there was a band from London, ices and champagne going all the evening, and how her son Dicky had danced twice with the second Miss Hutchinson^ while the other officers of the Bucephalus were pale with envy at Dicky's extraor mary success.

The clock struck ois»ht, tea was drunk, the horses were brought to the door. Christian took her scat on Whitefoot, and she and Captain Newboit rode away. Her anxiety as to how she would be received at Moynaity lessened considerably when she was one, nob oub in the clear autumn vlIk: Cantering along the smooth grass by the lonely roadsides, with the pure sky overhead and the young stars peeping (dp, iy out, life seemed to bound up in her with a mighty rejoicing bound. It felt like a promise and a prophecy ; a promise, a prophecy of what! Oi something yet unknown that would usher her into a new and raptnrou3 world. But when tho gate of Moynaity was readied, and they slowly passed under the shadow of .the grim castle Walls, her hear sank within her. She was not quite Confident as to her reception, and, to tell the truth, she dreaded it now that it was so near. She answered Captain Newbolt's polite speeches, hardly knowing what <he said. Then she bale him good night, and the door opened, it was opened by Alick himself.

( To be Continued.)