LITERATURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6195, 24 March 1888, Page 1

LITERATURE.

♦ — FORGING THE FETTERS. [Br Mbs Albxandeb.] Author of "The Wooing o'fc, M "Her j Dearest Eoe," &c, &c. [ALL BISHTS BEBEEVED.] Chap-tee 111, Much as Colonel Carrington disliked Mrs *Bayley, he could not help approving the fortitude with which she bore considerable suffering, and the intelligence with whioh she suggested measures for her own relief. ; "It is not a very bad sprain,! hope," ■she . Baid, as Carrington Lelped her to a j very convenient stcne. " You must get a chair or something to carry me on, and some men, for I am no trifling weight. Just get off my boot before the foot swells, my dear Mrs Fane. Then take your handker- j chief in that little rill trickling over the rocks Tip there, .and we'll manage a cold compress." ■""11l return, as quickly as I can. Tou don't mind being left here P" said Carrington. " Mtb Bayley has her wits about her, and is very plucky. I don't fancy you'll want anything while I am away." 44 Oh, no. Pray don't lose any time j go as fast as yoa can," cried Mrs Fane, who was kneeling on the shingle at Mra Bayley *s feet. " She must be in dreadful pain." But the physical suffering was as nothing compared to the carefully hidden tempest of wrath against herself and her ill-luck, -which raffed in the sufferer's heart. If she had only resisted that spiteful impulse to interrupt Mrs Fane and Carrington in their t6to-d-tSte explorations, she would not only have escaped pain and discomfort, but the worse result of a fortnight or three weeks of helplessness, during which an infinitude of mischief might be done, and Morton absent, too ! There never was anything so unfortunate, still her only plan was to make the best of it, and instil what poison she could into Mrs Fane's mind j against Carrington. Whatever happened she must keep cool and free from fever, either of mind or body. Meanwhile, under her directions, and with the help of a small silk scarf she had round her throat, Mrs Fane contrived a very, successful compress, and before long, Colonel Carrington re-appeared with a chair and bearers, followed by tho ex-piofessor, Miss Onslow, and Kenneth, all full of dismay and sympathy. It was soon arranged that Miss Onslow, Carrington, and Kenneth Morton should drive oii quickly in the pony carriage, and have due preparation made at the hotel for the arrival of the sufferer, and that Mrs Fane and Br Methvin should accompany Mrs Bayley in the doctor's carriage, where an impromptu couch was made up to keep her foot in a horizontal position. " Don't worry yourself too much," said ; Carrington aside to Mrs jPane, with tho kind of familiar interest which seemed curiously natural, "Tou are looking as white as the foam down there. I must insist on you taking a glass of wine." . ,ir It wa3 only the start of seeing her • fall," said Mrs Fane, her colour returning quickly, for the tone of imperious tenderness in his voice and manner affected her strangely. " I fancied she was more seriously hurt. Do send for a doctor as soon as you reach Sfc Cuthberts. She fancies she can manage herself, but I wish her to be properly cared for." ' "I will see to it. Good-bye for the present;" this with a lingering look, which suggested to Mrs Fane the reflection, " I think he is getting over his objection to me," and having seen her swallow a little sherry, Carrington and his division of the party drove rapidly away. This accident changed the face of affairs. The local doctor insisted on treating the injury, as decidedly serious, and though Mrs Bayley stoutly contested this opinion, she found it practically impossible to disobey his sentence of seclusion and repose. All that the kindest forethought could devise to lighten her imprisonment was provided by Mra Fane and eagerly seconded by Violet Onslow, who postponed a promised visit to a certain dear Aunt Julia ahd a houseful of company, in order fco assist .in nursing that nice, kind Mrs Bayley. " I do not know that I am of much use," saide she, plaintively ; her opinion of her own powers was very humble. " But lam better than nothing. I can read aloud to yon when Mrs Fane goes out, and she must go out, you know. She is looking quite pale and ill. I would do anything for Mrs Fane, she has been so good to me. "Until I knew her I never had any pleasure. My mother is always ill, you know." ""Of course, a bright, sympathetic creature like you is always of use, and a comfort to a poor, disabled body such as I am ; both Mrs Fane and myself ought to be very much obliged to you," cried Mrs Bayley, warmly. *■*• Ah ! I can do very little for Mrs Fane j and I am always afraid she can't caro much about me. I wiah she were really fond of me." " I am sure she is." " Not as fond as lam of her ; but I can't expect that." j "Oh! don't be sentimental, my dear; | you ought to put a proper value upon your- ! self." | But while time went heavily with Mrs ! Bayley, it made itself Bwiffc wings for Mrs ■ fane. Although she gave many hours to the invalid, there were many at her' own disposal, and of these Carrington was the constant companion. Sir Frederic was still detained in London about his friend's business, and Carrington became Mrs Fane's general adviser and agent. It was wonderful how familiar they grew. His grave, calm manner inspired confidence; his unspoken bnt keenly felt sympathy seemed to snpply the lack of old acquaintanceship ; and, spoiled as Mrs Fane had been by admiration and flattery, she had seldom enjoyed any triumph so satisfactory as tie gradual disappearance of the dis- j trustful, disapproving expression which originally attracted her notice, and which was replaced by a wistful and at times almost pained look, when his eyes dwelt upon her. " And what does that Colonel Carrington do with himself now? Why is he staying on here when his ankle is all right ? " asked Mrs Bayley, three or four days after her accident, in a tone halfquerulous, half -jesting. '"Oh, he makes himself most useful, and he plays golf with "Kenneth Morton and Violet." "Hem!. And gazes at you I suppose still as if about to pass sentence of death for your many crimes." " No. I suppose he has got used to my enormities," said Mrs Fane, laughing. "Tou don't think you ever saw him before?" " No. I don't think I ever did. I jams fc remind him of someone he disliked, or — " "lean give you the key to the riddle if you like," interrupted Mrs Bayley. "But can you?" " I can. He is the spy of your husband, sent, no doubt, to find out whatever he can against you, and I consider it mean and ungentlemanlike to worm himself into your confidence to betray " " But when there is nothing to betray ?" interrupted Mrs Fane in her turn, and greatly surprised. "What has suggested this idea, Mrs Bayley ?" "He himself told Sir Frederic that he knew Colonel Fane well, and he was evidently full of curioßitj' about yow— then he has sought you so persistently !" Mrs Fane did not reply for a minute, during; -which, she sat with her clasped ; ftlWldfli*foi-"rt^

slowly rising in her chtek. Could this fee the sole reason of Carrington's masked devotion? for she alone perceived to the full how absorbed he was in her — and she had never before been so fascinated as she was by. the mixture of resistance and yielding to her irresistible attraction which he betrayed. Never before had she been conscious of the same curious, tacit mutual understanding with anyone — was it possible that all this delightful secret harmony could be the mask of mere espionage. No ! Whatever Carrington's object in seeking her, he could not stoop to be a detective, even for friendship's sake. Might ho not think it wise and advisable to reconcile those whom " God had joined together, though/ thought Mrs Fane, " there was very little heavenly influence about my marriage." Mrfe Bayley kept a watcHful silence, thinking that Mrs Fane's rising colour indicated deep resentment. "I do not see why we should be displeased with Colonel Carrington, even supposing he is an emissary of my husband,'** she said at last, "nor why we should think him an enemy and a spy. His wish may be to reconcile ns, and that, though im- , possible, is not reprehensible." i " Are you sure it is impossible ? " asked Mrs Bayley, sharply. " Quite sure. I never intend to see , Colonel Fane again, if I can help it ? Why did not Sir Frederic warn me before P I don't want to quarrel with Colonel Carrington, but had I known his connection with my husband " "Tou would have had nothing to do with him, and quite right, too. Believe me, my dear, you will come round to my opinion, and the opinion of your friends in general. Tou owe it to yourself to sue for a divorce. As to poor Sir Frederic, he never thought of mentioning this man's intimacy with your husband, until he was going away; and then he was so full of you that he mentioned it to me." " There is no harm done, at all events, in any direction," said Mrs Fane, coldly ; "but I think it will be a3 well if I let Colonel Carrington, know I am aware of j his friendship with my husband, and, ! more, that his intervention will be useless." j " Certainly," returned Mrs Bayley with emphasis. " Tou would be quite right." ' The day after this conversation was dulland wetj but Carrington was not sorry to spend an hour, perhaps two, in the pleasant quiet atmosphere of Mrs Fane's drawingroom, perfumed as it usually waa by hothouse flowers. To-day a "bright fire glowed in the grate, and Mrs Fane had established herself and a piece of high-art needle-work on a sofa near it. She was alone. Miss Onslow had some visitors, and Mrs Bayley was indemnifying herself for a bad night by a long afternoon sleep. At first the conversation flagged. Mrs Fane seemed pre-occupied. Carrington, ! who had drawn a low chair near her, i watched the motion of her deft fingers in [ silenoe. j "Is it true," she, said, suddenly looking j np, "that you know my husband?" j " It is," he returned. " Do you know him intimately ?" " I think I may say I do." " Tou have known him since he was in India?" " And before." "Ah!" dropping her work in her lap. "Iti3 an old friendship then. Perhaps he has spoken to you of me ? " "Tes; often.?' ''I presume you did not receive a favourable impression of me ? " " Not very," taking up a skein of silk, and beginning to entangle it. Mrs Fane's colour faded, and a smile played over her lip 3. " Tou did not come here then propared to make friends with me ? " I "I came here," said Carrington, " utterly unprepared for — for what ' awaited me." j His expression struck Mrs Fane as . peculiar. j "* Tou did not expect to find your friend's '■ wife?," | "Certainly noS I should never havo sought her." " Ah ! I understand ! " A pause 1 "Colonel Carrington, may I ask you a few questions about my husband? A little curiosity on my part is excusable ; is it not?" " I may answer any question you would ask," returned Carrington. " Tell me," hesitatingly, "is he well and happy ? I mean contented with hi 3 life?", j "On the whole, I believe he is now. He ha 3 had lots of work, and is steady enough, j At first he was a little reckless. Of course ; he is not as young as ho used to be." " He is not old," said Mra Fane, thoughtfully. " About my age, I suppose," replied Carrington, looking keenly at her. " Oh ! I imagine he must bo younger," returning his gaze calmly, critically. " I look older than I am," said Carring- \ ton, smilingly. j " Pray excuse mo ! Ido not want to pry ! into Colonel Fane'a life. Ido not feel I have any right to do so. Nor am I dis- I posed to be harsh or unfriendly towards i him; but our position is peculiarly unf or- I tunate and difficult. Nor do I see any j way out of it." | " That," returned Carrington, speaking emphatically, " depends on the view you take of certain questions. A divorce is by ; no means impossible." "I strongly object to being dragged through -the mire," she said, with some, hauteur which became her well. " May I tell you my Btory?" she continued. "It is well to know both sides." "I shall feel honoured by your confidence," said Carrington, -with much feeling. Mrs Fane, leaning on her f elbow on the end of the sofa, and her cheek on her hand, ' turned slightly towards him, a dreamy far away look in her eyes. (To be continued.)