Chapter VI. A Cruel Act.

Otago Witness, Issue 2206, 11 June 1896, Page 41

Chapter VI. A Cruel Act.

While B>llq and Lord Stanmore were walking beneath the changing -and fast-falling leaves, Lady Stanmore was not looking fox her old letters— she was. too prudent to have left any — but was watching the pair ia the grounds 'below. Watching them, with mingled feelings! All this had ones been hers, aha was thinkiag, glancing for a, moment round the daintilyfurnished room she was occupying. Ia former days — whan, sha waa mistress of Radvers Court — this had been her own room, decorated according to her taste, and Lord Stanmore had directed his housekeeper that it waa to be reserved foe her on this her first visit to him. It naturally awoke many recollections. And one was regret— regret that thi* stately room was no longer hers ; that another would probably soon take her placa here. And then she asked herself, half bitterly who that other would be. Again she looked out from her window. She saw Stanmore's tall figure bending over Belle's slight girlish one ; she saw the look of animation, even of pleasure, ia bis face. She was a woman of the world, and judged not only by words. " He is in love with her," she thought, still half bitterly. " With Belle Waylaud I Ah, if he only kaew. Bat who knows 1 Men at his age,, if they take a love fever, take it seriously. Ha might look aver everything for the sake of his grande passion. Well, she fe batter than the Seymours, at anyrafce. But it is rather a comedown for me. I shall be the dowager, and Belle Waytaud the great lady. Little Balle P' And she laughed harshly. "But such is. life." " And if she does not marry him somebody else will, and that would be worse," went on her reflections. "I shall have the whip hand over ber always, bat not over a stranger. Bat It's a wonderful turn of fate, and I hold it in my hand. If only that stupid woman Linda does not meddla.. Bat I think she dare aeV

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The two in the grounds below did ndl dream of the handsome, half-envious eyes that were watching them from above. Lady Stanmore saw Stanmore stoop down and plack the girl by his side one of the late autamnal flower*, and Bella placed it in her waistband. She saw Belle's face as she did so, and knew the secret of her heart. " She is not thinking of him, bat of he? soldier lover. Poor Jack! Well, It serves him right for being suoh a fool." And Lady Stanmore laughed. Bat she did not laugh when she went down to luncheon, nor look at the flower that Bella still wore. "Way, Balle, you look charming." sha said smiling; " aa fresh as a. rose," " Oh, Auot Lucy, how lovely the grounds are I " ana wered Belle. " Lord Stanmore has been so good, and taken me all over them ; and the lake. Yon never told me there was a lake here." " And a very deep lake, too," said Lady Stanmore; "when I first married I waa nearly drowned in it when skating. The ica orackad, and I have never oarad to go near it since." "How was it you never asked us here, Aunt Lucy?— whan it was your home, I moan ? " oontinued Belle. Lady Stanmore gave one of hor caatomary shraga. "My husband did not adore your mother, my dear, that was all," she answered. "Ha said he oould stand her in the town, bub not in the country. But here she comas. Well, Linda, and how are you this morning, as this is your first publio appearance I" ' Mrs Wayland walkad op to the luncheon table with a scarcely suppressed groatn "I'm racked with rheumatism," she said. "You prophesied I should get ifrin both : knees, and I have." " That is very sad. I wonder what wIU do you good ? Bat here comes Jack ; we'll atk i hitn what he recommends." . Stanmore entered theroora at this moment, ' followed by a bright-faced young man of some 25 summers, to whom Lady Staamore immediately cordially extended her hand. 11 Why, Sir Riohard," she said j " this does ; indasd seem like old times." [ "I heard you were here," answered the joang man, smiling ; " and so rode aver [ to ask Sfcanmore to give me some luncb, and [ I hope you will' fix some day to come to. us ; before I go." I "You are as hospitable as ever, I see: Linda, this is Sir Richard Probyn, who u«od [ to be our nearest neighbour here in the old times. My sister, Mrs Wajl&nd, Sir Richard ; my nieca, Miss Wayland." Sir Richard turned bis good-looking face, and bowed low,- both to the cross old woman and the pretty young one. He was a fortui nate young man this— one of those born to : inherit the good things of the earth without; making an effort ta obtain them. Ha was aa oply child, and his father had i died when he was hardly 18. But a good aud tender mother remained to him, and Lady Ptobyn had watched aver her boy with, unchanging solicitude. But Dick Probyn, as he was commonly called, scarcely needed this. He was naturally pure t healthful, and , honest ; an ardent sportsman, and a devoted ; son. He had one slight personal defect — he \ stammered, though not always. Bat if ha ' were nervous or upset about anything, this failing in his speech was painfully evident. Lady Stanmore bade him sit down by her side, and fa paired about bis mother. Then, she asked after some other old naigh- - bours, while Stanmore talked to Belle. Bat as the young man carried on his conversation with Lady Stanmore his clear blue eyes ; more than once wandered to the fair faca i opposite to Mm. And no sooner was lunch over than he ' found a moment to linger behind to say a word in private to Stanmore. "Who is tnat awfully pretty girl!" he asked, eagerly. "She is my sißter-In-law's niece," ' answered Staamore, with a certain reserve in • his tone. , " She— she is. — - " bat here his stammcc 'overtook Sir Dick, who blushed soarlet at ' being unable to find words to express big admiration. " Pretty ? " suggested Stanmore. : " Lovely," blurted oat Sir Dick, with, a I gre&t effort. ■ "Itis a taking face," answered Stanmore, \ ooldly ; in fact, he was not over well pleaded, i and had an uneasy consciousness at this , moment' that he did not care to heat this ; young man's warm praises of Belle. j " You mast all come over to Hurst," con1 tinaed Sir Dick. ' " Yoa muat settle that with my guests," isaid Stanmore; "for the present I am to their handa." And Sir Dick waa not very long in settling It. I " There they are I ""he cried eagerly, for at ; this moment Lady Stanmore and Belle passed > the windows of the room outside. They had gone into the October sunshine, and Lady ; Stanmore put her hand through, Bell's arm. " Well," she said, " and what do you think ofDlckProbyu?" " Ha's nice looking, and seema very good . natured," answered Belle. "He's the kindest and moat sweet-ter-n■ pered boy I ever kaew. His father was killed : on the hunting field when he was a mere lad —hardly 18, I believe.— and I think Lady Probyn's heart would have broken bnfc fctf ; Dick ; he was everything to her — is, In ffactt t ; everything to her now. Bat yoa wilt see her. for they are sare to ask us over to Hurst. It ' ia a nice place, and Dick is a very lucky man. Ah ( here be comes." A few moments later Sir Dick was by theft side. " Lady Stanmore," he began, and tnen his: unfortunate stammer stayed his speech. " You are oat of breath," said Lady Stanmore considerately. " I have just been telling my aieoe here what a charming woman, your mother is and how good a son yoa were to her in her great trouble." Sir Dick coloured ingenuously. tf You.— you are very good to say so," hfl said ; " cay— my mother is " "The bast of womeD," prompted Lady Sfcanmore. " Belle, we must drive over to see Lady Probyn." This loosed Sir Dick's tongue. ♦'You must come to lunch or dinner," ha said without any stammer at all. "Mothef will be so delighted to have you, aud— and Miss Wayland will come too-? " " Very pleased," answered Balle, smiling,

"What day, then?" asked Sir Dick. »' Please come soon." " Well, the day after to-morrow, shall we say ? " said Lady Stanmore, looking at Belle. "We must see if this suits Jack — I mean Stanmore — though." It was finely settled that they were to go to Hurst- Halt to lunch the day after the morrow, and Sir Dick went home quite delighted with his vißit to Redvers Court. He rushed upstairs in his boyish fashion when he reached Hurst, taking two or three of the broad, low, dark oak steps at each bound, until he reached his mother's morning room, where a dignified looking lady, with abundant snow-white hair, turned back over a cushion, looked up from her knitting with a smile to welcome him, "Mother, I've seen the prettiest girl I ever law in my life," he began. " Well, my dear, atd where ? " asked Lady Probyn still smiling; for to tell the truth she was quite accustomed to Dick's rhapsodies about female charms. "At Redvers Court; she is Lady Stanmore's niece ; Bhe — she is lovely, mother." Lady Probyn'beld out her white hand and took her boy's brown one, and her eyes smiled as well as her lips as she did so. She was beautiful to look at, this woman, with her noble bearing, her 'fine features, and her Clear complexion scarcely touched' by time, She had blue, unclouded eyeß, like her son's, in which a merry glance sometimes sparkled, though as a rule they wore an expression of dignity and sweetness combined, with just one tinge of sadness underlying all. That fatal day indeed when they had brought her husband — the lover of her youth— home with his broken neck had never quite faded from her mind. But she was not one of those who speak of their troubles. The wound lay deep, but it was bidden from common eyes. " And when shall I gee this new beauty, Dick?" she now .asked, looking up at her Stalwart son. 11 The day after to-morrow, mother; they Are • all coming to lunch; I— l knew you Would be glad to see Lady Stanmore again — ao I asked them." "Lady Stanmore is a very agreeable woman," answered Lady Probyn, aud that vras all. " Awfully jolly, I think ; and Stanmore's a dice fellow— but this girl 1 ". and Dick actually heaved a sigh, "My dear Dick, I shall think you have fallen in love!" said Lady Probyn with a little silvery laugh. Dick blushed scarlet. "Oh I that's nonsense ; but of course I Can't help seeing how pretty she is— no one could help it. But wait till you see her, mother. But I mast be off ; the vet's here to see after poor Bess's knee, and I am afraid It's a bad badness." He hurried away as fast as he had come, and bis mother sat thinkicg of him after he ■was gone/ Sbe wished' him «to marry, but Bhe had never schemed for or talked to him on the subject. 1 " When he really loves someone it will be time enough," she had told herself often. She was a woman who believed that one thing alone makes marriage sacred or true — the love that comes unsought, the sweetest gift of God. Without this bond she, knew there could be no real happiness ; with it no real woe. She left her boy's future, therefore, in his own hands. " I know he will not choose unworthily," she thought as she resumed the knitting of the blue silk socks which he had interrupted ■when he came in to tell her of Belle Wayland ; and then her thoughts wandered to her own early days, and to the handsome lover who had not wooed in vain. But there was nothing bitter in these memories. The grand dames in the oakpanelled picture gallery at Hurst did not look more serene and stately than she did as tihe Bat there musing on the past. Bat tbe next day she began to think that Dick's admiration for Miss Wayland mast really ba seriont. For some unaccountable reason, which he could net explain, Dick again thought it mteseary to ride over to Redvers Court — perhaps he had forgotten to mention the luncheon hour — and be again v taw Belle Wayland, and walked with her under the falling leaves in tbe beautiful grounds, and a new joy stole into his heart Which made his past .life seem empty. Stanmore was not at home daring this leoond vi* it ; he had run up to town for a few hoars, and Sir Dick did not feel Borry. Sorry I He could not feel sorry for anything during this dull, almost warm, autumnal day, when the mist floated over the grass-lands and hung npon the wet boughs. He had Belle all to himself, and that was better than sunshine. Mrs Wayland was upstairs nursing her rheumatism ; Lady Stanmore in her own room writing her letters. They told her Sir-Richard 1 Frobyn was, below, but Lady Stanmore did not stir from her occupation. "Tell Miss Wayland he is here," she said to the servant. " I am engaged ; I must Catch this post." So presently the young people went oat together, and Sir Dick had never felt so happy in his life. His boyish good temper and joyoumess was infections, and Belle laughed merrily again and again. Lady Stanmore watched them also from her window, as Bhe had watched Belle and Stanmore, and she Bmiled a little grimly as she did so. "Master Jack will have to look to his laurels, or this boy will cot him out," she thought. " But it will spur him on ; if he gets jealous of Dick Probyn, Belle has only to name the day — unless she is a fool." Then presently she went back to her writing desk, and lying open on it was a large envelope directed in her own handwriting to Redvers Court, and containing several letters addressed to herself and to Mrs and Miss Wayland, at the Hotel Metropole, Brighton. She took them out one after the other. Mrs Wayland's she tossed carelessly aside. There was indeed an unmistakable look of business about them, and Mrß Way land's bills did net interest her sister. Her own letters — chiefly invitation for she was rich — sbe glanced, at also 'carelessly ; but one letter directed to Misa Wayland in clear, masculine handwriting received more attention. It was open, for she had read it before, but now she took it up and re-read it carefully ; it was as follows :— "My own dearest Belle, — At the last moment I have a chance of sending you a - tew words. A very sad thing has happened en board. One of the junior lieutenants, a

nice young fellow, and married, came on board last, night with his wife. We had hardly started when he broke a blood-vessel, and the doctor at once said it was useless for him to attempt the voyage as he was a very bad sailor. Nothing could therefore be done but for the young couple to return, and as I knew poor Mrs Webster in India I thought I might give her a few lines to post for you. Dear Belle, I have been wondering all day what you have been doing and what you have been thinking of. Have you been to look at the sea, and thought of our parting words ? When I am so far away from you in my exile will you still think of them ? I think I shall hear the sleepy dash of the waves that night against the sea wall often in my dreams. Gjod-bye, my Belle, my love, my only love. Let me find a letter waiting for me when I land at Bombay ; I shall be greatly disappointed if Ido not. And believe me, ever most faithfully yours, Hugh Gilbert. " P.S.— I reopened my letter, Beile, to tell you some painful news. Poor Webster died haly an hour ago, and his wife will take bis body home. The steamer she returns in is lying alongside the troopship now. Poor little woman, is it not terribly sad I— H. G." Lady Stanmore having re-read this tetter, rose with it in her hand. Perhaps one thrill of womanhood shot through her oold breast as she did so, bat it did not move her from her purpose. " She must never see it," Bhe thought, " and Belle's letter must never reach Bombay." A bright fire was burning merrily in the grate; the flames shone cheerily in the misty air; but a few moments later the passionate words of youth and love had vanished in their glow, and Lady Stanmore's hand had spoilt two lives, (To be continued.) '