THAT PRETTY MISS TRELAWNEY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 42, 17 October 1891, Page 496

THAT PRETTY MISS TRELAWNEY.

BY

CLYDE RAYMOND.

Y far the prettiest girl ever seen in Lowsboro,’ commented Tom Brundage, with admiration glowing in every line of his good-looking, blonde face, as he settled himself back comfortably in his chair on f the verandah after bowing with extreme politeness to a young lady who was ■ slowly cantering by on a beautiful, jetblack pony, and followed at a respectful £ distance by a smart groom in livery. ‘ as p°° r 48 s * >e * s p ,ett y> seems,’ replied his mother, hastily. ' ‘ ®" or Miss Smith heard Mrs Trelawney ~ emphatically declare with her own lips, that, although she meant to give her pretty cousin every social advantage while under her guardianship, she had no intention whatever of leaving her her money. There was no mistaking her determination on that point,’ went on the lady with somewhat nervous earnestness. ‘And, indeed, there is no good reason why she should make the girl her heiress, since Miss Beth Trelawney is related to her meiely through marriage, and rather distantly at that.’ * Which makes no earthly difference, so far as I can see,, retorted the good-looking young fellow with provoking coolness, * since Miss Beth Trelawney is quite charming enough in her own right to dispense with the fictitious attractions of her cousin’s wealth.’ Mrs Brundage turned and for fully half a minute gazed fixedly into her son’s innocent, unmoved countenance, a sort of horrified wonder and anxiety slowly materializing upon her own. ‘ Tom !’ she exclaimed at length, reproachfully, ‘ you don’t mean that you would let your admiration of that girl’s pretty face run away with your common sense ? Surely, yon wouldn’t think of marrying her !’ Tom Brundage gave his blonde head an impatient toss, and lifted his eyes to meet his mother’s inquisitorial gaze with a slightly bitter little laugh. ‘ If I did it wouldn’t be likely to do me much good, mother mine,’ he answered drily. ‘ There’s Phil Livingston, the very best catch in the town, doing-his utmost to prevent my having any show in that quarter, not to mention a dozen or two of other fellows more or less desirable, in her train. Oh, no, mother ’ —with a playfully despondent shake of the head—" you needn’t be afraid, there’s no such luck in store for me.’ Mrs Brundage, however, had her own private opinion about that. The idea that her handsome son could not succeed in any suit which he had really set his heart upon, was to her mind preposterous. However, she thought it wisest to keep that roseate view of the matter locked up in her own breast, so she only said in a mild, pleased tone : ‘ It quite relieves me to hear you say that, Tom. Of course it would never do for you to marry a girl without an i/ prospects, as is the case with Beth Trelawney. She has not a relative in the world, so 1 understand, excepting this rich cousin, whose interest in her will cease as soon as she has enabled Miss Beth to establish herself in life by making a suitable marriage. But, of course, Tom,’ —with a quietly decisive look and accent— ‘ you have too much common sense of your own to commit any such folly as that, without needing advice on the subject from me.’ The young man made no reply, only smoked away meditatively, and the subject was dropped. Very soon after this a brilliant reception and ball was given at the grand mansion on the hill, which, upon its completion but a few weeks previous, had been taken possession of by Mrs Trelawney and her beautiful young cousin, who had so quickly taken the town by storm. All the elite of the place were present, among them, of course, Tom Brundage and his mother, as well as the former’s most dangerous and determined rival, Philip Livingston, whose pretty married sister had hitherto been the recognised leader of society in Lowsboro’. The scene was gay and beautiful beyond description, and Mrs Trelawney, still young enough to look exceedingly well in her costly gown of heliotrope velvet and modest array of diattrond ornaments, presided over it with the stately grace of a duchess. But the real queen of the occasion was her lovely cousin, Beth Tr elawney, who, despite the exquisite simplicity of her attire, was the fascinating star to which every wandering glance was constantly r eturning. There was something fairly dazzling in the loveliness of her snow-white skin, her flashing grey-blue eyes, her tawny golden hair, and the lithe grace of the slender figure, with its soft clinging draperies of white, pearl-besprinkled mull. No wonder that so many feminine hearts beat anxiously as, understanding so thoroughly her portionless condition, they were obliged to witness the blind adoration of sons or brothers, for whom they had far more ambitious views, at fair beauty’s shrine. ‘ Tom is perfectly bewitched,’ Mrs Brundage groaned inwardly, as she watched the young man following beautiful Beth about like her very shadow. • Upon my word, I must invent some plan to put a stop to that affair.’ Soon afterwards she managed to obtain a few minutes’ tetca tile with the dangerously charming girl, which brought t > Beth’s dainty cheeks a few sly dimples, and to her bright, blue-grey eyes a flash of silent laughter, which her suddenly -drooped lashes hid from her companion. But it was noticeable that during the rest of the evening, she kept poor Tom at a much greater distance, setting the infatuated fellow half distracted by the unaccountable change in her manner toward him. Nor was Mrs Brundage the only person present who deemed it necessary to interfere with the happiness of Beth’s admirers. The haughty sister of Philip Livingston took occasion to acquaint the young lady in her delicately supercilious fashion, of her lofty aspirations for her brother’s future and

her unqualified disapproval of any serious attentions on his part to one whose only dower was her beauty. Again Beth’s lovely face dimpled with demure, yet roguish smiles, and again those bright eyes danced and sparkled behind their gold-fringed curtains. * I cannot pretend to misunderstand you, madam,’ she said, with a pretty, graceful air of dignity, as the lady concluded. * I think the situation is hardly so formidable as yon seem to fear ; but should such a crisis ever arise, I shall know how to decide it in the way you wish. And, with that laughing light in her brilliant eyes and an irrepressible curl of her proud lip, Miss Trelawney glided back into the glittering throng, and was soon seen in the very midst of it waltzing with Philip Livingston himself. That same evening she was called upon to face the crisis of which she had spoken to his sister. Gently, but very firmly, Beth refused the oiler of his hand and heart which Philip Livingston made to her so ardently, when be at last succeeded in luring her, for a moment, into the conservatory. ‘ Well, there is one case disposed of,’ she murmured to herself, with a smile and a sigh, as the disappointed lover left her with all the happy light gone from his handsome face. ‘ I trust his sister will cease now to worry about his infatuation for poor, penniless Beth Trelawney’—the smile brightening suddenly on her charming lips. ‘ But there is Tom Brundage—poor fellow ! I hope I shall not be compelled to repeat this experience with him. He is really desperate, though, and I’m afraid it’s going to be unavoidable. But it’s so funny to see the horrified looks of their watchful relatives ! I wonder what they will say when—’ • Miss Trelawney—Beth ! Oh, lam so happy to find you here alone ! I wanted to ask you why you have avoided me so persistently for the greater part of the evening ?’ It was Tom Brundage’s voice, of course. He had seen Mr Livingston leaving the conservatory alone, and the look on his rival’s face had told him a great deal, and given him a sudden hope for himself. Beth turned a rather startled face upon him. ‘I—I think I’m engaged for this dance, Mr Brundage,’ she returned, in slightly faltering tones. ‘ Shall we go back to the ballroom ? I was about to do so when you came in.’ She made a step toward the door, but he laid his hand lightly on her arm, detaining her. ‘ Please don’t go. Oh, Beth, you must know how I love you. Surely you have—’ ‘Mr Brundage,’ she interrupted softly, a slight irrepressible smile wavering across her exquisite lips, ‘ is this the way you should address me, when—when, as I have recently learned, you are the affianced husband of Miss Ethel Lane ?’ ‘ Ethel Lane’s—affianced husband—Z?’ he fairly gasped, an almost comical look of consternation on bis face. Then, the light of a sudden hope succeeding it: ‘ Oh, it is not so —you know it isn’t, Beth ; that smile betrays you. But who could have Ah ! I see !’—a swift flush rising to his brow. • I know that is a favourite project of my mother’s, but it will never be —never ! whether you can care for me or not.’ And then he poured out such a rapid, passionate declaration of his love for her, that Beth’s heart ached for the pain which she knew she must soon deal him. They were very hard to say—those few words whose utterance blasted all his hopes; but in a few minutes it was all over, and Tom knew that the heart he coveted had long since been given to another, to one who was coming in a few weeks to claim, not it alone, but also beautiful Beth herself. ‘ I tell you this, my little secret, because I really like you, Tom,’ she explained, with a sweet confidence that took half the sting out of his bitter disappointment. ‘ Because, though I cannot accept your love, I do want your friendship. But to the rest of Lowsboro’, it is to remain a secret still.’ In due time he came, the conquering hero who had won the heart of beautiful Beth Trelawney. His name was Jack Standish, and he was a handsome, manly fellow, with a dashing figure and a dark, bright, honest face that won your liking at a glance. Then fashionable Lowsboro’ was astonished by the reception of wedding-cards. There was a quiet, beautiful marriage ceremony in the grey stone church, and later a magnificent reception at the mansion on the hill ; and through it all, the bride’s fair loveliness was the theme of every tongue. ‘ A lucky fellow that Standish, by Jove !’ exclaimed one of the guests as the young couple drove away to begin their wedding journey. ‘lf the bride was only as rich, now, as she is beautiful, why—’ ‘ And so she is, Mr Damon,’ said Mrs Trelawney, who chanced to overhear the remark. ‘ All this property is hers in her own right, and a great deal more besides. Yes, indeed, Beth Trelawney is a great heiress, with more money at her command than she knows what to do with.’ ‘ Is it possible ?’ ejaculated Mr Damon, almost paralyzed by this bit of news, while the other guests began to flock around them with faces whose expressions were simply indescribable. ‘ Why, my dear Mrs Trelawney, we all thought the fortune was yours, and that your charming cousin was living—ahem ! —well, sort of dependent on your bounty, so to speak.’ ‘ Not at all,’laughed the widow pleasantly. ‘Quite the reverse is true, I assure you. You see, Beth has some whims of her own, as all heiresses have, I believe. Learning accidentally that such a mistake in regard to our positions had gained ground somehow in Lowsboro’, she declared it would be a good joke to keep it up until after her marriage, and persuaded me to silently acquiesce. The little farce has afforded her much innocent amusement and has injured no one. Hereafter, however, you will see her in her true position, and like her none the less for having first known and admired her for herself alone.’ As to Mrs Brundage and her fellow-marplots, I have nothing more to say. Their shame and consternation was something which can only be imagined, not described.