Brownebrook.

Otago Witness, Issue 1191, 26 September 1874, Page 18

Brownebrook.

A STOIIY OF COLONIAL LIKE.* Chapter VII. The morning of that day of which the events were destined to cast their baleful shadows over our future lives — darkest of all over that of my dear lost brother John — rose bright and beautiful. A lovely, serene, mild spring morning — not a cloud in the sky, and apparently not a cloud in our hearts. I remember, even now, the sweet scent from the shrubs, and from the rich moist earth, as I opened my bedroom window, and the calm restful feeling of happiness which stole over me as I fjazed on ths lovely scene. All around the house stretched the shining masses of evergreen of every shade, from the dark, waxy, drooping leaves of last year to the tender pale green shoot of the present spring. In the distance rose the old-fashioned clock turret at the stables, and, still farther off, a bridge over a river, and a background of hills and wood. But I must not think about or describe the beauties of Lane Court on that morning ; I have to confine myself strictly to an account of the events of the day, the smallest details of which are indelibly imprinted on my memory. Long before I was up, Mrs Tansy had been driven by Tom Man ton in the dogcart to the Landbourne railway station, on her way to Birmingham. She was to return the same evening, by a train reaching Landbourne at half-past nine, and Tom Manton had orders to be in waiting for her at that hour. Immediately after breakfast, my mother took John with her to drive the ponycarriage, and went to the mill to see poor old Green, while Emmeline and I repaired to our rooms to write our letters. About twelve o'clock mama and John returned ; they reported old Green still alive, although dreadfully weak ; but the doctor had given great hopes of his ultimate recovery should he live through the next 24 hours. Under these circumstances, it was settled that Catherine and Betsy should remain with their father all that day and night, one of them, Catherine, returning to Lane Court next morning ; and my mother declared that we should have to start for Landbourne as early as possible, in order to allow her time to make enquiries about a substitute for Betsy, who was to remain with her father until his recovery. Our departure was therefore hastened ; the carriage was ordered to be ready in halfan-hour, and we all went off to dress, as well as to choose our toilettes for the evening. I need hardly say that during that morning my thoughts were principally with John and Mary Raynor, and my mind was busy in planning how and when my mother was to be told of their engagement. I was much more occupied in thinking about their future than about ihe present state of matters as concerning them. I knew nothing could be done, no steps whatever taken until Emmeline's marriage was over, and I attached no importance whatever as touchirg Mary to Agnes Wyles's angry words of the day before If I thought of them at all as connected with Mary, it was merely that she might possibly have sneering remarks or scornful looks directed towards her by her unsuccessful rival, and that she had best avoid all chance of such by keeping to her own room, or by remaining with her aunt during our absence. So far did my apprehensions go, and no farther ; and I solemnly declare that any thought or suspicion, however remote, of what actually did take place never entered into my mind. When I was dressed for the drive, and while Folding was getting ready, I sent for Mary to my room, and told her that Bhe might sit at her work in my little dressing-room, or in Miss Talbot'a sittingroom downstairs ; or if she preferred it, she might remain with her aunt. Poor Mary looked wonderingly at me, but said that if I wished it, she would take her work into my dressing-room. She and Miss Wyle had the wedding favours to make up ; she said there were a great many, and it would occupy them nearly all day. Miss Wyle would work where she always did, in Mrs Talbot's sitting-room, where all the materials were, and perhaps Mra Talbot might wish her to remain there also.

"That is quite possible," I said, "but as my room is on the same floor, and quite near mamma's room, it will be easy for you to sit there with your work if you prefer sitting alone." I could say no more without exciting Mary's suspicions, or betraying my own knowledge of Agnes Wyle's feelings towards her ; so giving her a kiss and a kind good-bye, I dismissed her in the library, to look for some book I had been thinking of reading. I knew John was there alone, for Wilfred had gone off on horseback to Grassmount about an hour before ; and the rest being all engaged elsewnere, the lovers had an opportunity of a quiet UU-

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a-titc It still wanted ten minutes of the hour at which we were to start, and in a restless frame of mind, which I could not account for, and which was very unusual with me, I bent my steps in the' direction of the kitchen. _ Why I did so, I cannot tell — perhaps 1 may have felt some vague promptings within me to speak to Crippets about her beautiful niece, to urge her to look after Mary during our absence — perhaps, which waa more likely, I preferred going anywhere, and talking to anybody, to sitting still and waiting. On entering the kitchen, I waa greeted with a "Lawk, my lady, who would ha,^ dreamed of seeing your ladyship here ! " from good old Crippets, who was busily engaged in "tidying up" the bright fireplace, and who had turned round when I opened the door. Exquisitely neat as the kitchen looked, it waa surpassed in tidi • ness and neatness by Crippets herself. Arranged in the cleanest of lilac-printed gowns, the most spotless of white bib aprons, and the daintiest of muslin caps, under which her nice wavy grey hair was parted, she looked just like what Bhe was — the very pink and perfection of a good old family servant — one of a race now, alas ! all but extinct. " I came down to have a look at the old kitchen, Crippets, and to ask you how you are," I said. "Everything in it, yourself included, seems just the same as ever." "It is really kind of you, my lady, to come and see me," said Crippets, with a low curtesy, " Your ladyship hasn't been in this kitchen since long and long before you was married. It was the day that Master Wilfred caught the great big eel, and you and Miss Emmeline came down to see it. Miss Emmeline w||S but a little thing then." *~ " Have I not been here since then 1 " I asked ; " that was ever so long ago, when I was only a great romp of a girl. I daresay I used to tease you a good deal in those days, Crippets— but they were very happy days. By-the-bye, Crippets, what an exceedingly pretty girl that niece of yours is ! Do you see much of her ? I suppose not, for Bhe seems a good deal upstairs with mamma." " I can't say as I see her hardly at all, my lady ; she is more fit in her eddication and her manners to be about a lady like your mamma than to be about me in the kitchen, and 1 wouldn't stand in her way, poor thing, for all the world, by ever wishing her down here. Mrs Talbot has been main kind to her, my lady, and has promised to get her a situation as nursery governess in some gentleman's family. And although I say it, who am her own mother's sister, my lady, the girl has been well brought up, and is quite a credit." : "Perhaps she may do for my little ones, Crippets ; I have taken a great fancy to May, and would like to have her away with me to Dalesbury when I go back. But I must say good day to yoa, Crippets; look well after your pretty niece, and have her as much as possible with you to-day, at any rate. You know we are all going out, and shall not be at home again until quite late, and Mary may feel lonely." Try as I would I could not bring myself to mention Agnes Wyles's horrid name to Mary's aunt. "Oh, another thing ; where does Mary sleep V 1 ' In the small bedroom off Mrs Tansy's, my lady ; she has slept there ever since she came." 11 Well, that is all right ; make her go to bed early. Good-bye Crippets." I went away, feeling that the shrewd old woman was looking at me curiousftt, and, no doubt, Betting me down in hdr mind as a very flighty specimen of a fine lady. But I had said as much as I could, quite enough, as I thought, to ensure Mary being looked after by her aunt, and secured against too much of Miss Wyle's society. In a very few minutes, we four sealed intherfbig carriage, with Folding in the rumble; were rolling smoothly and swiftly down the avenue, on our way to Landbourne and Grassmount. I had taken my departure without having set eyes on Miss Agnes Wyle all that morning, which I was rather glad of. The recollection of her insolence of yesterday had recurred to me disagreeably every now and then, and I had resolved to avoid her as much as possible during the rest of my stay at Lane Court. How little did I anticipate that she was never to be Been again by any of us ! (To be continued.)