Untitled

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3380, 7 February 1879, Page 3

Mrs Vernon cauuofc help remarking the change that has tak^u place in her daughter during the lasfc few days. Usually of such a happy, equable temperament, she is now as capricious' and wayward as a spoilt child, and her lovingjnother's heart longs to fathom the cause of her child's sorrow — for sorrow she knows, there must be to occasion such alternate fits of excitement; and 'depression in her of late. But not even to her mother does Ruby unburden the desolation of her heart. She is ashamed to tell any one how foolishly she has acted in writing such nonsense in, her book—just like any school-girl, she thinks — and cherishes her secret in silence, striving mightily to conquer the great love she. still boars towards Norman FortescTie.

Little had Ruby ever imagined that her unfortunate pocket-book would have such a fatal power ovciv her; and, although she consigned it to. the flames after she reached home on that evcr-to-be-remombered night, she cannot forget the words she had so heedlessly written there, and wliieh she never doubts Norman has read and exulted over ; and as the summer wanes she becomes the ghost of her former self, and Mrs Vernon gets very uneasy about her. Norman has gone back to town. He made sjmo good excuse to his uncle for leaving hini — pleaded pressure 0 f business, Ac — and went off two days after the dinner party. Mrs Vernon was secretly astonished at his abrupt departure, and fancies it has something to do with her daughter's altered spirits; but she makes no remark upon it, boing ever unwilling to force her confidence.

They aro breakfasting iv the pleasant morning-room, which looks out upon the. verdant lawn, bright with many tastefullyarranged flower beds of fantastic shapes, their beauty as yet undestroyed by the chilL blasts of autumn; and, as Ruby pours out the coffoe, she sees the postman coniingup. the drive, and exclaims, with more animation than sho has shown for some time —

" Here are the letters, mamma ! — a little.excitement for you or me ! I wonder who. it. is that lias written to wake us up in this deadalive place."

It is the first time Ruby has designated: her beloved Baliston by such an appellar tion, and her mother notes it with pain. However she says nothing, for the door ; just then opens, and a servant enters with, the letter.-. There are two, and both are for -Mrs Vernon.

"Well, I call that too bad," says- Ruby, pouting, and scrutinising her mother's- face as >he opens them. " I can see that ont is from Birdie. Isn't there a scrap for mo ?"

" No," replies Mrs Vernon ; " but I will read mine out to you if you will be patient."

, The letter proves to be an invitation for them to go to Italy to stay with Birdie, Ruby's elder sister, who has married an Italian count, and who lias now written an urgent entreaty for her mother and Ruby to go to stay with her ; for she avers she is " dying " to see some of her people,. " and it will do Ruby no end of quod to sec a littlo more of the world for a fow months." Ruby catches eagerly at the proposal. It ia just what, she has been wishing for, to go quite away from Haliston and all its painful associations for a time, and she exclaim-? warmly, while a faint colour tinges her cheek for an inslant — " I should like it of all things. Could it not be maniged, mamma? I don't want, to selfish," she adds tenderly; "but I really think it would do you good too, darling."'

"There is not much to prevent our going if you really care to go, my love," replies Mr Vernon, mentally contrasting her daughter's anxiety lo go away now with her urgent entreaties to remain at home a few months previously, when a similar invitatiou had been sent them.

"Oh, yes, it would be so delightful to see Birdie again !. Fancy not seeing one's own sifter for more than two years! And then we ohould visit evory place of interest —and it has long been my greatest wish to see Rome. Imagine the Coliseum by moonlig'it !" Ruby rapturously concludes. It is soon settled ; and before the. end of the month Mra Vernon and Ruby are at Turin, being petted and hugged by the Countessa C'amerini, who is a great beauty and favourite in the fushionabls world at Turin. Sho scans Ruby approvingly, but secretly deplores her " want of style," which she is afraid may bo somewhat detriment.il to her getting well married there — a thing (-he has set her heart upon, as it will be a great comfort to her to hay* her mother an 1 sister living near her, and ifc is only for Ruby's sake that her mothe* has remained in England so long. Ruby is charmed with everything at first, it is all so entirely new to her, for she ha 9 never been out of England bofore : and she trusts that in this new world, with such different surroundings, she may soon lo<e the weary, aching pain that onpreß«ew her ''cart •ud maiw her caeeke so _ ftl '• .I'lumu^P-ff

Part 11,

A year passes away, aud still Ruby professes herself unwilling to leave Turin when-" ever her mother broaches fcho subject. Mrs Vernon herself is ready enough to remain longer with her eldest daughter ; bufc she cannot; understand Ruby's evident ropugnance to return fco her native land. They have not spent all fche time afc Turiu. Pisa, Florence, Rome, Naples, and Venice have all been visited in tlisir turn, and now fchey are quite thankful to acttle down in Turin' again, and thoroughly enjoy the lovely walks aboufc the town and its environs.

Ruby is certainly altered. Her face is as winsome as evo?, bufc her check is less rounded and fcho colour much fainter thau of yore, for she cannot forgefc her love, and it; is weaving her young life away. Suitora sho has had plenty, bufc she has given the same answer to them all, and afc last her sister bonus to despair of herevergettingmarried atall! Ruby takes all the Countess 1 upbraidi'ngs very quietly, and allows it is doubtless great want of taste on her part nofc to see tho numerous perfections and qualities of the different people fchat are consfcautly being pointed out to her, and mean-while cherishes more tenderly than ever the-one ideal which she vainly persuades herself she is forgetting, and compares all her luckless adorers wifch one whoso name she dares nofc" breathe— Norman, now Sir Norman Fortescue, f or Sir Arthur is dead —and Norman has oucceeded to his title aud estates.

Raby received intimation of Sir Arthur's sudden decease about four months after her departure from England, and the good old Baronet was sincerely mourned by mother aud daughter. Bufc Euby shrinks still more from returning home, knowing that now her meeting with Norman would be inevitable, aud she doubts her capability of entirely disguising her feelings towards him. She is sitting in her room in fche Corso del Re, with trembling hands and erer varying expression, reading an English letter. It is from Edith Grahame, and after various desultory remarks, she tells Ruby — " We have nofc yefc liad the felicity of welcoming our new Lord of the Manor iri- proper form, as he went away very soon after Sir Arthur's funeral, bufc we are living in expectation of being able to do so very soon, for he is, as I perhaps told you before, on the Continent somewhere, and jfc is reported that he is going to marry some Italian lady of rank, so the village folk are talking aboufc grand doings and triumphal arches on the return of the happy pair. Afc one time I thought the lady would have been yourself, for I fancied he felt your going away deeply ; however, I wa9 mistaken in my ideas." Ruby's eyes are rivefcted ou the lasfc sentence, and every detail of the memorable day afc Belmont passes in rapid succession through her mind. Oould it be possible that Nonnau had really cared for her, and that, iv refusing him, sho had rendered him as. unhappy as herself? Ah, no, ifc could nob be, or he would nofc have forgotten her so soon ! How can she ever return to Haliston, and see him lavishing on another the care aud love that, might have been hers- -might have been ! And she buries her face -in the sofa cushions, and gives way to an uncontrollable lit of weeping. When she joins her mother and sister some fcimo afterwards, Birdie exclaims afc her miserable looks, and insists on her going for a drive in order to get a littlo colour into her eheoks; and heedless of Ruby's protest against; going out, she rings the bell and orders fche carriage afc once, and Ruby is obliged fco got dressed without a murmur.

Many admiring glances are bestowed on fche carriage and its occupants, and the Coutcssa makes many a hearfc throb with pleasure by a gracious salutation as they go down the street towards the principal drive, where tho elite of Turin delight to congregate. But the elegant equipages and people are all lost upon Ruby, who is again indulging in u?v own sad thoughts, when she is aroused by a slight scream from Birdie as the horse, start lcd°by something . in fche road, makes a sudden plunge and then starts off at a furious pace, jerking the reins out of the cochman's hands, and clashes down an avenue reserved for foot passengers, causing much consternation among fchem thereby. The coachman endeavours to regain fche reins, bufc another jerk causes him fco lose his balance and he is thrown over the horse's head, dragging the head-gear with him in his terrific efforts to save himself. Tho. occupants of the carriage are nofc. able to discover whether he is seriously hurt, however, for the horse, rendered still more wild by fchis new feeling of liberty, goes tearing madly on among the screaming and terrified pedestrians.. Birdie cries wildly for. help, but no ones dare touch the ungovernable animal, and. on they, go to fcheir doom, as fchey feel ifc must be, foi; Bichc is making stirighfc for a dead wall and a collision appears inevitable. Birdie shudders and covers her face with her hands). Mrs Vernon .shuts her eyes and her lips . move in prayer, and Ruby gazes with a kind of fascination at the fast-approaching barrier. They are very near ifc now — a few moments more and a gentleman suddenly leaps, out from among tho horror-stricken people and wifch one bound is at fche horse's head and seizes ifc firmly by nostrils, and with one convulsive jerk the animal remains stationary, panting and covered with foam. Ha has found his master !

The blood rushes into Ruby's cheeks and her heart leaps almost into h'i> ,lllollth as she recognises in her deliverer, Norpiau.- He comes round to the carriage to inquire if, the ladies are uninjured, and then, and. not till then, he sees who it is he has providentially been the means of rescuing. "Mr Fortescue ! How can we ever thank yeu for thus saving our lives ? Your bravery is unparalled !" cries Mrs Vemon, holding out both hands to Norman, who grasps them warmly in his own, and says, delicately avoiding the subject of thanks—

" I am sincerely glad to have been of ; a ilittle use to you ; but yo.u greatly magnify my simple action. I have always heard that a horse can be rendered tractable at once if it can be grasped in thafc way ; but it is the.first time I have had the opportunity of testing fact. I hope you have nofc been very inuph alarmed r"

Ho then holds oufc a hand 10, Ruby, who lias been drinking in. every woi-d he has uttered, while satisfying her sistoi-'s cuiiicsity as to who he is. Mrs.Ycrnon then introduces him in full form, this time giving him his proper title, and Birdie is profuse in. her thanks, while she thinks she has now found a key to the puzzle of Ruby's, hearfc, and is forced to admit to. herself that ahe has good taste after all.

Of course, now fchat all danger is over, Beveral people crowd round tiiem, with all kindsof congratulations. and condolences, and are profuse in their epithets of admiration concerning the handsome stranger.. The ladies have all. dismounted iVom the. carriage, aud wondering whafc fchey are to do, when Tommaso, the coachman, <v f >|vai-s with the missing harness. He ha<* boen stunned by thft violence of the fall, bufc is otherwise uninjured. He proceeds, fco rc-harnesi fche horse, who is now; as quiet as a lamb, but Birdie declarps that nothing will induce, her ia give herself up fco his tender mercies acain that day*, so a lly is procured, and then she insists on Norman .s^ompon^ fug them back to

dinner

An involuntary expression of pain crosses faec aa he hesitiili-s aboufc accepting Birdie's invitation, and B-üby exclaims : "You are Kurt! Biche must have kicked

you." " Oh, ifc is nothing, I assure you," he answers — " only a slight bruise."

But ifc makes him wince for all fchafc, and, Birdie is more than over determined to mats him return with fchem. "For," she saya,. "my husband studied medicine for some time, and will bo able fco toll you whafc to>. do. for ifc "

" Yes,, you must oome," adds Ruby tuiy^j* ; and without another word lie steps ip,iyi*l seats himself besido hor.

Mra Vernon and Bivdie monopolise. Lie conversation all the way homo, a^ni Kuby sits and listens wifch a lighter heart than she. has hud for more than a year, deadened her love for him ! Why, he Ijad caused every pulse to throb wildly, audi abe only knows sho is happy now, without daring to glance at tho future.

The Count pronoun2es No^mAU** bruiao a painful but not a severe ono, ojjd immediately applies liniment which soon oases thepain, The blow fortunately missed the knee, or it might havo been very serious. Tho Count says he must detain him a prisoner, as it might causa the inflammation to apread, if he were to walk at all for a few days, and Norman 3paake3 a feeble poteßt against giving so much trouble, but \u silenced at once by the Count saying i\n hie broken English — " Now, my dear, you won't return to yow hotel, -whore you say yon dp uofctoiqwne tod. aa Ipjig vI do say ji'o— a*4 my ffjfje

would 'forgive me never, if you did leave us now. Sue von capital nurse, my wifej" and, rubbing his hands, he walks out of the room, to tell Birdie of the arrangement. Norman finds his confinement very far frjam tedious, and' laughingly avers he shall be quite sorry when he is-emaneipatcd. His imprisonment; consists' of- lying on a couch the greater part of the- day ; and heia lovingly ministered to and tended by Mrs Vernon and Birdie, who think hime- perfect hero. Ruby shyly keeps aloof from him aa much as sho can, for, after the reaction of the excitement of meeting him has subsided', and she thinks over cy.-i-y thing ; hi a mafcter-of fact, way, she decides it will bo better for her to hold as littler intercourse with '■ ; him as possible, for there can be no hops for hor now that ho is goifcg to be married— and she wonders whafc tlu* lady is like, osid if sho knows of his accidenfcBut, although sho has managed to get a. glimpse at all his- letters before they hare been posted, sho has nofc seen one addressed! t-o'ony lady, aifd 1 she cannot help thinking ifc very curious that ho should not have let heiknow all aboufc ifc— bufc she concludes he is afraid of alarming her unnecessarily. Ifc would be so like him.

(TJ'-'ho continued)