use of making a secret of what even Violetta knows?'
There was no debating the point, for her desire of secrecy was prompted by the resolution to leave him unbound, whereas his wish for publicity was with the purpose of binding himself, and Ermine was determined that discussion was above all to be avoided, and that she would, after the first explanation, keep the conversation upon other subjects. So she only answered with another reproving look and smile, and said, 'And now I am going to make you useful. The editor of the 'Traveller' is travelling, and has left his work to me. I have been keeping some letters for him to answer in his own hand, because mine betrays womanhood; but I have just heard that he is to stay about six weeks more, and people must be put out of their misery before that. Will you copy a few for me? Here is some paper with the office stamp.'
'What an important woman you are, Ermine.'
'If you had been in England all this time, you would see how easy the step is into literary work; but you must not betray this for the 'Traveller's' sake or Ailie's.'
'Your writing is not very womanish,' said the colonel, as she gave him his task. 'Or is this yours? It is not like that of those verses on Malvern hills that you copied out for me, the only thing you ever gave me.'
'I hope it is more to the purpose than it was then, and it has had to learn to write in all sorts of attitudes.'
'What's this?' as he went on with the paper; 'your manuscript entitled 'Curatocult.' Is that the word? I had taken it for the produce of Miss Curtis's unassisted genius.'
'Have you heard her use it!' said Ermine, disconcerted, having by no means intended to betray Rachel.
'Oh yes! I heard her declaiming on Sunday about what she knows no more about than Conrade! A detestable, pragmatical, domineering girl! I am thankful that I advised Lady Temple only to take the house for a year. It was right she should see her relations, but she must not be tyrannized over.'
'I don't believe she dislikes it.'
'She dislikes no one! She used to profess a liking for a huge Irishwoman, whose husband had risen from the ranks; the most tremendous woman I ever saw, except Miss Curtis.'
'You know they were brought up together like sisters.'
'All the worse, for she has the habit of passive submission. If it were the mother it would be all right, and I should be thankful to see her in good keeping, but the mother and sister go for nothing, and down comes this girl to battle every suggestion with principles picked up from every catchpenny periodical, things she does not half understand, and enunciates as if no one had even heard of them before.'
'I believe she seldom meets any one who has. I mean to whom they are matters of thought. I really do like her vigour and eamestness.'
'Don't say so, Ermine! One reason why she is so intolerable to me is that she is a grotesque caricature of what you used to be.'
'You have hit it! I see why I always liked her, besides that it is pleasant to have any sort of visit, and a good scrimmage is refreshing; she is just what I should have been without papa and Edward to keep me down, and without the civilizing atmosphere at the park.'
'Never.'
'No, I was not her equal in energy and beneficence, and I was younger when you came. But I feel for her longing to be up and doing, and her puzzled chafing against constraint and conventionality, though it breaks out in very odd effervescences.'
'Extremely generous of you when you must be bored to death with her interminable talk.'
'You don't appreciate the pleasure of variety! Besides, she really interests me, she is so full of vigorous crudities. I believe all that is unpleasing in her arises from her being considered as the clever woman of the family; having no man nearly connected enough to keep her in check, and living in society that does not fairly meet her. I want you to talk to her, and take her in hand.'
'Me! Thank you, Ermine! Why, I could not even stand her talking about you, though she has the one grace of valuing you.'
'Then you ought, in common gratitude, for there is no little greatness of soul in patiently coming down to Mackarel Lane to be snubbed by one's cousin's governess's sister.'
'If you will come up to Myrtlewood, you don't know what you may do.'
'No, you are to set no more people upon me, though Lady Temple's eyes are very wistful.'
'I did not think you would have held out against her.'
'Not when I had against you? No, indeed, though I never did see anybody more winning than she is in that meek, submissive gentleness! Alison says she has cheered up and grown like another creature since your arrival.'
'And Alexander Keith's. Yes, poor thing, we have brought something of her own old world, where she was a sort of little queen in her way. It is too much to ask me to have patience with these relations, Ermine. If you could see the change from the petted creature she was with her mother and husband, almost always the first lady in the place, and latterly with a colonial court of her own, and now, ordered about, advised, domineered over, made nobody of, and taking it as meekly and sweetly as if she were grateful for it! I verily believe she is! But she certainly ought to come away.'
'I am not so sure of that. It seems to me rather a dangerous responsibility to take her away from her own relations, unless there were any with equal claims.'
'They are her only relations, and her husband had none. Still to be under the constant yoke of an overpowering woman with unfixed opinions seems to be an unmitigated evil for her and her boys; and no one's feelings need be hurt by her fixing herself near some public school for her sons' education. However, she is settled for this year, and at the end we may decide.'
With which words he again applied himself to Ermine's correspondence, and presently completed the letter, offering to direct the envelope, which she refused, as having one already directed by the author. He rather mischievously begged to see it that he might judge of the character of the writing, but this she resisted.
However, in four days' time there was a very comical twinkle in his eye, as he informed her that the new number of the 'Traveller' was in no favour at the Homestead, 'there was such a want of original thought in it.' Ermine felt her imprudence in having risked the betrayal, but all she did was to look at him with her full, steady eyes, and a little twist in each corner of her mouth, as she said, 'Indeed! Then we had better enliven it with the recollections of a military secretary,' and he was both convinced of what he guessed, and also that she did not think it right to tell him; 'But,' he said, 'there is something in that girl, I perceive, Ermine; she does think for herself, and if she were not so dreadfully earnest that she can't smile, she would be the best company of any of the party.'
'I am so glad you think so! I shall be delighted if you will really talk to her, and help her to argue out some of her crudities. Indeed she is worth it. But I suppose you will hardly stay here long enough to do her any good.'
'What, are you going to order me away?'
'I thought your brother wanted you at home.'
'It is all very well to talk of an ancestral home, but when it consists of a tall, slim house, with blank walls and pepper-box turrets, set down on a bleak hill side, and every one gone that made it once a happy place, it is not attractive. Moreover, my only use there would be to be kept as a tame heir, the person whose interference would be most resented, and I don't recognise that duty.'
'You are a gentleman at large, with no obvious duty,' said Ermine, meditatively.
'What, none?' bending his head, and looking earnestly at her.
'Oh, if you come here out of duty--' she said archly, and with her merry laugh. 'There, is not that a nice occasion for picking a quarrel? And seriously,' she continued, 'perhaps it might be good for you if we did. I am beginning to fear that I ought not to keep you lingering here without purpose or occupation.'
'Fulfil my purpose, and I will find occupation.'
'Don't say that.'
'This once, Ermine. For one year I shall wait in the hope of convincing you. If you do not change, your mind in that time, I shall look for another staff appointment, to last till Rose is ready for me.'
The gravity of this conclusion made Ermine laugh. 'That's what you learnt of your chief,' she said.
'There would be less difference in age,' he said. 'Though I own I should like my widow to be less helpless than poor little Lady Temple. So,' he added, with the same face of ridiculous earnest, 'if you continue to reject me
