MILDRED'S HUSBAND.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 7441, 12 August 1895, Page 4

MILDRED'S HUSBAND.

CHAPTER XX

When the guests of Sir Hellealoigh and Lady Kltham were all seated at luncheon, the indefatigable Misses Greenfell again began their torture. Not that they meant it "as such, but their straininge_ after v vivacious manner made them at time perfectly intolerable.

' Mr Hellesleigh, we are «oing to complain of Lady JLSltham to you, and we expect you will redress our injuries,' said Agnes. ' What ia the mattes now?' he asked, not raising his eyes from the dish ho was carving. ' Have you all been differing this morning ?' xdildred swallowed some water ia a kind of spasm ; ehe was ignorant of what was coming, but prepared for the worst. • Sho promised to show ua over all the house, find, after we had gono through most of it, she absolutely refused us a si(sht of one suite of rooms, on the plea of their beiug yours. Now we thought thia very stiff of ber. We are certain they are exquisite apartments, to judge by the style in which you have furnished her boudoir. We knew you had some delicious little sanctum corresponding to hers. But all our entreaties failed to move her. It might have been Bluebeard's chamber, so decided was she in her refusal. Sho is very cross; we fear you have spoiled her temper by over-in-dulgence.' ' Ia that last a true bill ?' enquired Lady Duncan, with a bitter laugh ' Probably aunt,' responded Lady Eltham. ' I should have never expeoted Sir Hellesleigh Eltham to err in that respect. Hβ is a gentleman whose judgment is rarely at fault, and whose penetration is unquestionable,' said Lady Duncan. ' May I ask you for another bone oJ fowl ?'

< I am highly flattered by your good opinion,' returned Hk Hellesleigh, ironically. • Oh, I merely give Lady Eltham's opinions,' said Lady Duncan, careleeely. ' Do you not so speak of him, Mildred ?' • I am not in the habit of discueeing Sir Ht-llesleigh'e oharacter with strangers,' replied Mildred, with emphasis. 'Of course not, but you know I am not one,' said Lady Dunoan. After the close intercourse we enjoyed before your marriage, when you confided all your emotions to me, you can ecaxcely look upon me in that light. And then what confidential letters you have written me since !' Lady Jiltham looked at her aunt, wondering where her ftudaoity would stop, for Mildred had written her only three letters eince he? marriage—mere casual notes—and the rest of her relative's inferencea were equally untrue. 'When will this.d'Bgraceful reorimination before strangers end ?' greaned Mr Wriothesley. ' Was over such a converaatiou carried on at a Üb:@ filled like thia ?'

•Ihere!' cried Miaa Greenfell. 'Lady Eltham irritated again, you see, Sir Hellesleigh. I warn you ia time.' The Baronet had too much liking for his wife not to come to the rescue, so ho said—

•It ia a very alarming , trait —I never noticed it in her before ; but I shall be on the watch iv future, and err ou the other side, Lady Duncan. Now suppoao, young ladies, that you join me after luncheon, and see my sanctum before the carriages coma round. You are about to visit us at the ehaft, are you not ?' When they went upstairs Lady Bltham ■would not accompany them ; her husband should not think "that she wanted to pry into her sanctum. She had been there the day after coming homo, and again during her illnees, but to revisit it would only bring back tho remembrance of the dreams that had melted away from her within its shadow; bo she stayed downstairs with the one or two gueata who remained. • And, after all, there was nothing to Bee but a collection of minerals, a disordered writing table, and a email painting one of those ugly little canvases whioh travellers bring home and tell you is by one of the first of living artists, who sold its companion to ba placed in the Luxembourg.' Such was Miss Greenfell'a opinion on ooming down to Lady Dunoan, who was superintending her lapdog's dinner, and who had said she would taka another opportunity of going over to the Oastle. The old l»dy was in a very good humour, Sir Hellesleigh having asked her permiaeion to drive her out in tis phaeton, and she appreciated the attention. Along the road ehe endeavored to reciprocate his politeness by giving him a few hints on the best method of completely managing and subduing Mildred, which she persisted in thinking necessary ; but his effeotual method of strangling that subjeot by turning to another silenced her at last, and she gave up her object. Hβ mado it clear, in a perfeotly well-bred manner, that he would not allow his domestic coneerna to be discussed by others, or hie wife criticised even by her own aunt. Lady Dunean was intensely curious to hnow how the Baronet and Mildred stood towards each other—whether open enemies, cool friends, or companions harmonious from expediency, or whether any watmer feeling had sprung up between them. The circumstances of the marriage had crept out into the world—into Lady Duncan's world and though all was not known of what hnd passed, enough had transpired to bring great blame on her for her part in forcing the union. On Goethe's principle that all men hats sHeartilT have injured, ILady and her maVfeHho discovery ifirt irijared herself, she cordially. It i£ak?il&t6bb:fttiiibtQ& &%iBl, of friendship •ifint ehV' l«ft s itolq£fefiid v l"..'vieit to them, spiteful r ti>mpes ]l tff*a<£ni?iiei r&atfonfchip as aa excuse for saying the most disagreeable things. She had enough of occupation, in the early part of the evening, to oritioiso the guests and make satirical observations to the Greenfell girls on Lady Bltham and her husband; but this amuaemenc toon wore itself out. and she looked round the room to see where a good target presented itself for her envenomed shafts.

Lady iiltham and one or two ladies were seated noar the fire, and around them were grouped several gentlotaen, with whom a lively conversation was being , carried on. The la'lies were neighbors of the Elthume, and Lady Duncan was determined, if the conversation were a looal one, to break it up direotly; it gave her real pleasure to annoy people. She moved into the cirulo, and SirHellesleigh turned for a chair for her ; but when he brought it he found that Mildred had vacated her seat on tho sofa in her aunt's favor, and wa3 standing against the pillar of tha mantelpiece. ' Will you have it ?' he asked, motioning towards the ohair. iihe shook her head, and continued the conversation which had been interrupted.

Tho group were talking of a newly disoovered vein of coal, tue striking of which Sir Helleeleigh intonded to celebrate by a dinner to his workers. Someone suggested foot races, hurdle races, and such like games as a pleasant accompaniment -id the subject of rural sports was bei"; cussed in an animated manner w , a J-ady Dunoan joined the circle. Tiie ladies laughed at the muscular tastes of tho gentlemen, but ended in agreeing that there was nothing better suited to the mental capacities of the pitmen than the sports which had been indioated. ' Why do you not revive some such dreadful custom as the Dunmow Flitoh ?' suggested Lady Dunean. 'It would be admirably oaloulated to tone down the violent tempers of your swarthy miners, and give a moderate tv.ra to domestio intercourse.'

The gentlemen were too polite to laugh their amusement at thu sagacious proposition, but they looked as if they were vory muoh iuolined to do co.

'It would not do in this instance,' said Sir Hellesleigh ; ' we have but a fortnight before Uβ, and onr lists must be of a more active nature. Is not the Dunmow affair a passive competition?' ' Passive, indeed!' brjko in Captain Gerard ; ' one must be exceedingly passive to join it. Tho worst feature, however, thut I see in it is the number of years one must go back for etidenoa. Rather awkward that would be in some people's iives ,, jßltham conjugal life was a favorite theme in the neighborhood. Every one knew something of it; and though no ono could tell oxaotly how matters atood, enough had boen noihed about to make the gueats now present look awkward at Captain Gerard's remark. Ho himself saw the uutimelinete of it, and proceeded to add— • Will you go in for it, Mrs Gerard ?' ' Not I,' cried hie wife ; 'I have nofc the ghost of a ckauce. Tho judges, before adjudicating, should take into account iho aggravating husbands some of us have, Wβ poor women get no fair play.' ' Nevertholtss aomo of you mako very good fight for it,' returned Captain Gerard, with a ifrimaoe. ' Everyone knows whut a poor henpecked follow I am.' 1 By your own showing,' interposed Lady Duncan, with an assumption of blandnoss, lit id plain you would have but a poor chanco, Oaptuin. Mildred, my dear, why do you and your huabaud not go in for Duuinow ? You aro certain of it so far, I should think. Who would imagine,' she continued, turniug to Mra Gerard, ' that Lady Eltham had au unusual amount of pertinacity iv her composition? When young ladios determine upon doing a thiug , , old and wiee head are never consulted, li"----wae of no use for any of her relatives to try to dissuade her iroui matrimony ; she would httvo her own way. Indeed, I believe I wurned her thut Sir Hellealeigh most probably would not go in for Duuinow ; but in vaiu. You naod not blush, Mildrod ; you did bo harm. A little too tnuoh enthusiasm was expended far ayouuir lady, but, «ir Hellualeigh muet feel all the more flat/ tere "» -nrtyour youth made it exoueablo.'/ fe^.

Bir Hellesleigh's brows knitted. Mildred felt sure of it, but ahe was afraid to look up. What his thoughts of her must bo she was too giddy oven to imagine The room seemed to ewim ; she had only the support cf the wall, and pho felt that if she movod she would stsgger. The only vaoant ohair near her wae that on which Bir Hellesleigh whs leaning; and how oould she proceed to him for support ? She knew some badinage would have helped matters through, but he; , white lips refused to utter a word. The -siudacity of the speech shocked everyone present; no matter who wae ia fault, both hucband and wife were to be pitied.

ihe first to break the nilence was Mr Wriothesley, who, alwaya on the watoh, had heard much of what had passed. Ho oame up to Lady Eltham, and said gaily— • Lady Eltham, I have been deputed to ask a favor of you. Will you permit a repetition of those quadrilles we had yesUrday evening? Iho waltzes, too, were delightful,"

Wo one knew who had deputed him. • A oharming idea,' said Lady Kltham, scarcely conscious of what she was utteriug, but compelling herself to speak; ' pray loae no time. I will ring for the servants to remove some of the farniture. You would like to have the upper end of the room again, I suppose? And perhaps you will allow me to be musician for you.' With a quick, nervoue step she hastened to the piano, and, stooping over the canterbury, pretended to be searching for some music. It took a long time to find apparently, but at last she was ready to do her part. Sir Hellesleigh danoed with a face upon which anger was so plainly depicted, that it tjtruok the attention of all his guests but the Misses Greenfell, who, if amused, refused to see anything unless it was set before them in the plainest manner.

When the first dance waa over Mr Wriothealej again came to Mildred's assistance. Hβ brought up Mias Greenfell to take her plaoe, and so set her at liberty; he then took Lady Dunoan in hand, talked with her, complimented hor, and put her into auch good humor with every one, that she ended by offering to sing Haydn's oanzonet, 'My mother bids me bind my htir,' which she did extremely to her own untie fact ion.

All this, as was intended, threw Mildred completely into the background. Whe sat with pale, jaded looks, wishing the carriages would come and take those about her away; and then she would try to rouse heraelf to say something to har guests, who were all equally as anxious for the carriages as she wac. Almost every one felc most for her. A hidden insult is bad enough, but an open, unprovoked one, whioh stabs the hearer to tho very heart, as it wero, is hard to bear. From that night publio opinion began to veer round again in Lady Kltham's favor.

•Poor'thing!' people said. 'If he had had the heart of a man he would have stood by her, and put the aunt down.' At last the visitors went away, and those staying in the houee retired to tneir rooms. None but the Greenfella seemed to think shat there would be any pleasure in another hour of conversation. Mildred, with a thankful heart, bid the last retreating lady ' Good night,' even rejecting an offer that her cousins made of a gossip over their fita —a deoiaion they thought -exceedingly foolish. (To bt continued.)