NINA'S INVITATION

North Otago Times, 19 November 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

NINA'S INVITATION

BO you .know, .Tuck, that I have not", roceived an invention to your mother's dance 1" s«!tl Nina bnghamtoa tall, fair young man, who was in the net of taking a cup of ton from lior land; "-Have I been accidentally overlooked, or is the neglect intentional J" And she looked him very straight in the faco with a remaikably handsome pair of grey eye?. A deep Hush comes to Jack's ingenuous young countenance, and ho Ipuks thoroughly uncomforlAblo ami wretched.

" Ah! I see," remarks Mrs. Langham, dryly," it is intentional." Jack looks helplessly about him, trying to draw inspiration from overythiii" in the room except the face of bis hostess. "If Lady Berntwood puts such a slight on no, it will set the whole county talking," pursues Nina, her voice trembling a littlo, ' and I havo quite onough enemies as it it.". Jackpu'ts down his untastod tea and stares Jiard at the lire. No inspiration has come at .present. " I think women are tho devil," jhesays at last, dolorously. " They lire only •happy when they are aggravating, or being •spiteful to each other," ' "I never want to be spiteful or aggravating," observes Nina.

■ "No," ho answers warmly at last, lifting .his eyes to lier face, " you are a darling. 1 only wish there were more like you." • " But what have I done!" she asks, (ignoringflattery. "What fearful atrocity ,have I committed that I should bo bunded :in the eyes of tho county as unlit to entet the chaste portals of Berntwood? Tor'hret ;years your mother has'honoured me with : Iter acquaintance, not to say friendship. iSho has allowed your sister to stay undei jmy roof. She has dined with me, and J •with her, Is it by any chance on youi account, Jack ? Djm slio disapprove ol iyour coming here so often?" . ! "Oh no," he answered, pulling his fail ■moustache with nervous lingers, "it isn't thai," ■ "Well, then, what is it! for, of course, 'you know—" ; Poor Jack did indeed know. There had ibeen hot discission between him and his mother on tho subject only that very day at 'luncheon; he had been angry and insistent, but Iter ladyship had remained obdurate, " After'the way in which Mrs. .Langham chose to conduct herself with Lord Dcerpark at the Hunt Ball," observed Lady Berntiwood, austerely, " Ido not consider her a jfitting companion for your shier j and I do ,net choose to run the risk of ha*'ngmy [houae made the scene of such disreputable ,bclmvi«ir."

: " Disreputable i" cried .luck, hotly. ." What did, she do more than a dozen other women, I should like to know ?-just sat out in couple of dances with him. Jf lie chose to ■make an ass of himself by getting drunk and nearly having a row with iKlmnlie bocause he stole a flower out of her 'bouquet, I don't see how she could help •that."

" I do not for an iiKant believe that l/ird Deerpark was drunk," replied his mother, [warmly. " And I wish you. would not talk so coarsely j lam quite sure he would not have behaved as he did unless she had encouraged, him in the most, barefaced nimuier."

" He is the person you ought to leave out of your party, not she," cried Jack, indig.tiaiitly,

. '" Indeed [ shall do nothing of the sort," returned'her hidyship, coldly; "and it is easy enough to see that this woman has ;infatuated you too, I Relieve she is a very worthless .person, and for the future I shall :have nothing mure to say to her," Jack hanged out of the room in a rage, not wishing to utter the wrathful words that jrose to his lips. l " Well, Jack," said Nina, " you had ; better tell me the truth, I am bound to know it sooner or later,"

"Well," replied Jack, desperately,'"l supjiose it is about Deerpark. lletweni you and me, I believe she wants him fur Hilda, and she was |*rfei:lly furious because he made a fool of himself about you at the Hunt Bull."

• "Could I help it?" cried Nina, a swift blush coming .to,her cheek, "What do I caro fw Deerpark! If you know how hard 1 tried to prevent, his making a gonse of himself ! That was why 1 sat out with him,and had a quarrel in cusequeiice with Flank Elmslic, whom I really do like," . " Yes, you need not tell mo that," responded Jack, gloomily.

"It would be a wreiclied world if one did not care for someone," returned Nina, ■defiantly ; " indeed, it is a wretched world unit is. Hut, Jack," altering her tone and spi'tiking pleadingly, "you miul. do some.tiling about' this. You know it will be a pos.itive.in.Hiilt if your nwthcr.leaves me out.

1 cannot consent lo be disgraced before everyone. Do, ileur hoy, manage it somehow. 1 won't ovenHfje.ik lo Deeipark nil liieevi-niiig, if Hint will pacfy her!" Jack knew it was ut forlorn' hope, but lie was very fond of Ninii, so ho promised to lwve another try, audio let her know tin: itsiilt next day, Heliailiistormy,-conewith his mother; liming entreaty of no avail, lie pot angry and disrespectful, whieh nmile matters ten times woise. When he entered Ninii'f boudoir next day, despair and defeat were wi itten on every line of his ,:ninely face. To her quick eye it was an open honk. 1 "Isee," she,said, as she gave him ho hand, " yoiir mission has been a failure." Jack made a despairing gesture. ' "Well," said Nina, "there is only one tiling for it—l must goto her myself." - He gave her a siuiteh'cd staro. " You don't think I stand much chanee," she observed interrogatively. " Illy dear Nina." he said earnestly, "yon are not serious ? You don't, know what my mother can bo when she is nasty—ami I would not have yon insulted for the world" (speaking'tenderly). ." I never was afraidof a woman yet," said Nina, shutting her lips and looking determined, ." My dear girl, don't!" lie implored. " If I don't, I shall not get hiy invitation," she answered;" and on that lam absolutely bent." "She will refuse to see you !" cried poor Jack, looking miserable. "Ah! that is just where I want a little

help from you," said Nina. " She is sure to be at home to-morrow morning, and I shall i walk over about twelve. You will bo loitering near the front door and will lot me in—you need not go into tho room with me." Jack's stout hen it qirdls. Ho docs not fear aiiy man living, but tho thought of a scone betweon the two ladies simply scares him. He protests-he almost refuses, But Mrs. Langhain has a kuaok of getting her own way with men—every man, "at least, except her husband.. Udy Borntwntiajs sitting at her writingtable noxt morning, •when Nina walks in unannounced, Had a thunderbolt fallen at her ladyship's feot sho could hardly have felt moiodtjconcei ted, In a moment, however, she grasped the situation and set her face as adamant. She flattered herself that she was a match for the most impudent young woman in creation, She rose slowly, looking positively awful in her majesty. " How do you do, Lady Herntwood!' said Nina, " I see I am intruding, but I want to have a v.'Ord with you it* you will spaie me a few minutes." A grimspwm that tho most vivid imagination coiild scarcely have mistaken for a smile came across her ladyship s 'race. She was picturing to herself the coming rout of this insolent intruder. j She resumed her seat, and Nina, unbidden, 'dropped into a chair. I " You have not asked me to your dance, she said, in a low voice. "Is there any reaeou why you should put such a slight upon me before the whole county!" I-urty Berntwood looked at her with a stony glare. [ " Since you have forced your way into my j p esencein tins very impertinent and milady- j like manner, I think we had.better have a j little plain speaking," she said, j "Yes," answered Nina, mechanically, looking at the door; "let us-havo plain I speaking by all means." Iter outward j demeanour was calm, but very painful i feelings were raging in her breast. She I was a proud woman, and anything but a happy one. She was married to a selfish ; and unprincipled man who had no love, for her, She had a. warm, affectionate heart,' and she could' not bear to bo looked coldly Upon, Most pretty women have enemies, rim"; she was quite sure thitt she had more tlian.lior slmre, .Theio was one. miin in the world whose, rJ|)J!ilQri she valued, and Chr?i|..(u|',u jjnuil ilm( tun irAiqlv . k. wm (!« q| rnjiii: .Blw M\\\ n\

bear the thought -that he should see her slii'hted by.:the'county.. ThiswasCaptairt Elinsiie-the man with whom Lord paik had sought to pick a quarrel at the Hunt Hall. Lady Berntwood began her plain speaking in n measured voice. " As," she said, " I am a leader of society, and in that*capacity have vory grave responsibilities, I intend to acquit myself conscientiously of the duties enforced upon me, and I shall decline to leud.my' cottntonance to fast and im|iropcr behaviour," "And you consider.my behaviour fast and improper?" asked Nina, still keeping hei eye* bent on the ground. "I do, most .ctnjiltnLically," replied hoi ladyship; "and as I havo a young daughtei just ontorimr upon life, I do not chooso hei to bo exposed to pernicious' examplo." Nina's voice trembled slightly, "Lad) Berntwood," she said, raising her eyes* last, " ought not having a daughter yoursel to make you a little inore lenient to'othet women 1 Suppose that your daughter wan innrried.to a man who was unsympathetii to her, and who, indeed, had outraged h« affection and good feeling, would you no think it hard if other womon, instead o holding out n helping hand to hor.turaei their backs upon her, and rather tried b drive her to a downward course J" " Bxcuso Die," said Lady Berntwood stiffly, " wo will not discuss my daughter ii the same breath with fast, ill-conductw young women. And,'asmy time is valuable I must ask you to be good enough no6t< detain me longer from my writing." Nina's colour was. heightened hut her voice remained quiet. "You have still some invitation-cardi left, I see,"she said, "Will you notfil one in with my name, and give rae before! go'"' "No, I will not!" replied Lady Bernt w.od.. ":*v\ now will you go, or shallliin| the hell?" Nina look a letter from her breast-pocket »nd, rising, handed it to her unwillin) hostess. Lady Berntwood glanced at it, and thsi returned it, • "lam not in the habit of reading lettcri not addressed to me';" she said coldly. Nina took the enclosure from its envelops "It is .from your daughter to mj husband," she said. "He is very eureka about liis, correspondence." And then sh< 'ead it in a matter-of-fact voice; Dearest Hairy,—He sure you come to-morrow night. I will bo at the gate leading into the wood at half-past nino, Mother is going out to dinner, so it will

be nil right. Jack is doitip nothing, .so you might ask him to dinner to get him out' of (he way; that will keep your wife quiet, and they won't want you.— Yours ever, Hilda. Nina looked up, Lady Bernbwood's fac* vas livid, "Itis a forgery—an impudent forgery!'' *'iecried. "(Jive it to me." Nina handed it to her, watched her vrbibt she read it, and saw the horrible convictior dawn in her face that it was no forgery. Willi a sudden gesture, the wretched mother tore it into a dozen pieces. Nina smiled. " I have at hast six more at home," sh< snid, "couched in the twnc affectionnti terms. Now, which do yon think thecountj would enjoy most—reading those letter?, 01 laughing over my discouilitme at being ostracised by you 'i In my uwn mind, then is not the smallest shadow of doubt."

Mrs. Langham went to Lady Uerntwood'i bull, and flirted impartially with Lord Deer park, -lack, and Captain KlmshV. Hei hostess treated her with marked distinction, and to this day Jack has never recoverec from his astonishment. Hjs sister is »ov buly Deerpark, and Mrs. Langham was oni of the most prominent guests at th» wedding. - Tk World,