CHAPTER XIX.

Otago Witness, Issue 1901, 17 July 1890, Page 33

CHAPTER XIX.

Lady Gilmore's Letter.

the meantime young Gerard was becoming very impatient at his supposed mother's lengthened interview with the priest. It was his ordinary dinner hour for one thing, and he was blessed with a healthful appetite, and for another (seemingly by the strange laws of heredity) he alike lacked faith and reverence,

promise to start for Wrothsley on the morrow. , , " I shall see," he said shiftingly, and as the priest entered the inn door it passed ■ through his mind how, though educated and brought up so differently, there was still about this young man some of the characteristics of his parents. "He is a little self-willed, I fear," he thought, " but by the laws of heredity he was sure to be." Chapter XX. Gerard's Sweetheart. Gerard went stiaight, after he had parted with Father Hayward, to a small, newly built house which stood at one end of the village, and which belonged to a man who liad contrived to make and save money, though originally he had only been a fisherman. How John Sumners' luok had turned, no one but himself exactly knew. There were various reports about it in the village, some believing that a mysterious " find " out of the deep sea had been the commencement of it ; but whatever it had been, John, who was a man of few words, never divulged. But the facts remained the same; he ceased to be a fisherman, and 'took to boat building and boat selling, and his cobles and smacks commanded good prices, for they were known to be stout and strong, and fit to weather the stiffest gale. He was hardworking and prudent withal, and as he was a widower with only one child his expenses were not great, and he contrived to give his daughter a fair education, and May Sumners—her name was really Mary— was considered the prettiest girl in Scarley, and might have had many woers if she had condescended to smile on the young men of the class of life from which her father had originally sprung. But her education had made her feel superior to them, and when Gerard Brewster took Cragside farm, and came occasionally courting to John Sumners' house, May told herself that in spite of his bodily deformity she liked him better than the stalwart, brownskinned young fishermen, who seemed coarse and unmannerly now to her dainty blue eyes. Gerard's handsome face and generous^ hand also pleased her woman's fancy, and it was understood in the village that these two were lovers, though they were not actually engaged to be married to each other when Father Hayward first met them by the rustic stile. , . . t .. Gerard, therefore, having arrived at the newly-built house, on one side of whioh was the building yard, where lay various unfinished toats, while in front a small, neatlykept garden showed that the place was well cared for; May Sumners being a famous little kousekeeper who looked well after her father's comforts. She was flitting about tne kitchen now preparing the old man's tea, when she caught side of Gerard in the garden, who also seeing her went smilingly up to the window on the outside. May, inside, smiled too, and put her finger to her rosy lips to indicate silence, and pointed to her father sleeping by the fire in the great arm chair. A lined, solemn face had John Sumners, as many of those have who toil on the great waters, and live face to face with the dangers and wonders of the deep. He looked rugged, but kindly, with his grey hair hanging round his brown features, and his strong hands resting on his knees. He had blue eyes, like his daughter, and these would soften strangely as they rested on her fair, young face. He was in truth proud of his girl, and grudged her nothing, and May was fond of her old father, and did her best to cheer his life. ' Still smiling, she now came to the door of the house to speak to Gerard, who went eagerly forward and took her hand. 41 It want to see you, May," he said, in a low tone; "oan you not come out for a ' "Not now," she answered, speaking softly. 11 It's just father's tea time, though he's fallen asleep, poor man, by the fire; for he had a hard day yesterday." "When can you come, then?" went on Gerard. " Something wonderful has happened, and I want to tell you about it." " Something wonderful ? " repeated May, lifting her blue eyes to her lover's face. She was really a pretty girl, fair and pinkcheeked, with bright, light air, and small delicate features, and so Gerard thought as he stood there looking at her in the clear light of the spring-time day. " Yes," he answered, exoitedly, "so good as a fairy tale, and I am dying to tell you all about it, May." 44 1 can get out later," said May, whose curiosity was naturally roused ; " I can go down to the sands about 8, Gerard, if you will meet me there 1 " 41 All right; be sure you come; I'll be by the big rock where we sat yesterday, exactly at a quarter to 8 ; so be a dear girl and don't keep me waiting." They settled it thus, and Gerard, after holding her hand a few moments longer than necessary, left the garden and returned to the farmhouse, where he found Mrs Brewster standing at the front door looking out anxiously for him. She went forward to meet him halttimidly. ' " Oh, Gerard," she said, and then paused as if afraid to say more. 44 Well, all this is a wonderful affair, isn t it?" he replied, looking at her and 1 smiling, for he was in truth very fond of this only mother he had ever known, and from whose hands he had always received the greatest kindness. ' " It's more than wonderful ! " she answered, solemnly. " I thought nothing in heaven or earth would have forced the secret from my lady's lips* She made me swear on the crucifix I would never reveal it; never on my death-bed ; never to a living soul I " 11 But it's all true, I suppose?" asked Gerard, a little anxiously. "All true. My lady cared more for my lord's love than for her first-born ; and she gave you to me, Gerard, and now she is taking you away." Tears rushed into the poor woman's eyes as she said this, and tears rolled down her wrinkled cheeks, and Gerard put his hand kindly upon her shoulder. 44 She won't do that," he said, ' 4 It was 8 disgraceful thing to do, but she was tc blame and not you, and I won't forget that ] owe my life, I daresay, to your kindness." 44 You were very frail and feeble then

___— —^—^— —^—^-^—^— — — — —^— - „ dear," answered Mrs Brewster humbly, "and many and many a time I thought I Bhould never rear you, and now when you're grown so well and strong " 44 Except this cursed birthright they are always talking about," interrupted Gerard, bitterly, as Mrs Brewster paused to wipe away her fast falling tears. 11 Oh, that is nothing now, dear; my lady will see it is nothing now ; and, Gerard, you are your father's living image. My lord was the handsomest man I ever saw, and when I look at your face I oan just believe he is standing again before me." These words soothed Gerard's vain heart, and he began to tell Mrs Brewster about Father Hayward's advice. 44 He's a sly old fox that," he said with a laugh, " and I can see he wants to lead me by the nose, but I won't be so easily led, perhaps, as he thinks. But still, of oourse, 1 should have my rights, and I mean to have them too if I oan get them ; 80 you must, mind, stand by me and keep to the same story, old woman." Again he put his hand on her shoulder, and Mrs Brewster bent down her head and J kissed it. | 41 Don'ifear for ire, my dear," she said, " I would die for you ; and now I've only got to speak the truth, and no one can disprove what I say." 44 And this lady— for, hang it! I can't call her mother— used to send you money, I suppose ? " " Yes, dear; for four-and-twenty years she sent me regularly three hundred a year to bring you up on, and when we took this place she advanced the money to stock the farm." " And you can prove this 1 " asked Gerard, sharply. " Yes, Gerard ; and my lady tells me in the letter that his reverence brought me today, that she has kept most of my letters, for I wrote to her twice a year always, and sometimes more to tell her how you were getting on." Gerard took of his soft felt cap and waved it triumphantly in theair on hearing this. 41 It's all right then," he said ; " and this other the gentleman brother of mine will have to come down in the world a peg or two when Igo up. But now come in, old woman, and give me some tea." He grew more excited during this meal, and boasted not a little what he would do when he came into his own wealth ; and Mrs Brewster sat and listened with a heavy heart, for she knew that he must now leave her, and that her adopted son had virtually passed away from her. And she feared, too, Gerard. He had not been reared to occupy the position he would now be called upon to fill, and she felt that he «vas unfitted for it. He had had a fair education, certainly, but his life at the farm and in the village had naturally not been a very eleVated one, and then what about May Sumners, the poor woman thought, looking at Gerard with anxious eyes. Presently he rose and went out to smoke, and loitered about the place until the time came when he was to meet May. Then Mrs Brewster saw him pluck a flower in the garden and heard him go up to his own bedroom, and when he came down again the flower was in his coat, and he stood and looked at himself for a moment or two in the glass in the hall before he went forth. "He is going to meet that girl," she thought, with a moan ; " whatever will my lady say?" Gerard in the meanwhile was proceeding leisurely towards the shore, cutting at the long grass that grew in the hedgerows, as he went. The night was serene and beautiful, but he looked not at sky nor sea. He could not help thinking what a great man he was now, or would be, and meeting a young fisherman whom he knew, nodded to him so condescendingly that the fellow turned round and scowled at him after he had passed. But Gerard, happily unconscious of this, went on his way, and soon found himself on the sands, and when he reached the ridge of brown,' sea- worn rocks where ho expected to meet Mary, to his surprise he found the girl already seated there. She rose with a smile and held out her hand. " I am here first, you see," she said play"But I'm not late," answered Gerard, pulling out his watch ; "it wants a quarter to 8 yet, Miss May 1 " The girl laughed. 41 1 know it does," she said, " but it is such a fine night that I came early— and, besides, I want to hear this wonderful story, you know." " Well, it is wonderful. Let me sit here beside you, and I'll tell you." 44 Is it good or bad news ? ' asked May, as the young man seated himself by her side. He did not speak for a moment; then he bent forward and took her hand. " Would you call it bad if it took me away from you 1 " he asked. In a moment her pretty, girlish face flushed, and her breath fluttered. " Took you away 1 " she repeated. " I— l do not understand." 44 Well, May, that priest you saw me meet this morning brought strange news. It seems that the good woman up at the fara yonder, whom I always thought was ray mother, is not really ray mother, but ray nurse. My real mother is a great lady, and she has sent for me now to return to her." A little cry broke from May's parted lips, and her colour faded as' suddenly as it flushed, and a look of fear stole into her blue eyes, which were now fixed on Gerard's faoe. 41 My mother,'! went on Gerard, with a ring of half -suppressed pride in his voice, " is Lady Gilmore, the widow of the late Lord Gilmore, and I am their eldest son." 41 What 1" cried May, with an absolute start. „ ... . i.i. 41 They say every word of it is true ; tne priest says so, and my mother has written to ■ me to tell me it is so, and the old woman at i the farm— but I'm sorry for her— has confessed the whole story." ' i "But — but what motive had they, • Gerard?" now asked May in a startled I voice. Gerard's face fell at this direct quesi tion. ) "A very queer one it seems, he an- [ swered; "my father and mother had another son, a year younger than 1 1 am, and this boy , when we were babies was stout and strong,

and I was weak and puny, and my father very amiably often wished I was dead to make way for the other one. And my mother absolutely , thinking it would please him took me away with Nurse Brewster, and j they schemed together, and pretended to my father that I had died of fever, but really Nurse Brewster reared me up and called me her son — and here I am 1 " Gerard gave rather a forced laugh as he concluded his story, but it was not echoed by May. She turned away her head, and her bosom heaved strangely, and Gerard bending forward saw that tears had gathered unbidden in her eyes. 41 Why should this vex you, May ? "he said, tenderly putting his arm round her waist, and drawing her closer to him, "it won't make any difference between us, you know. 5 ' 41 Yes," said the girl, with a little sob. " No, indeed it won't ! " continued Gerard earnestly ; " they ohose to bring me up out of my station, and I've chosen a girl they may call out of my station, but if you care for me really, dear May, no one shall part us." " Yes, they will part us," said May in great distress, and" her head fell on his breast ; but Gerard only drew her oloser, and bent down and again and again kissed her sweet face. "It will part us for a week or two perhaps," he said, " until everything is settled, but if they expeot to lead me they are mistaken. Promise -me May, to keep true to me, and I will promise faithfully to be true to you. " Then May lifted up her head and promised, and thus these two plighted their troth on the ,lonely shore ; but somehow, as the sea moan fell on her ears, May Sumners shuddered as she listened to its weird and mystic tongue. (To be continued.)