advisable for yourself or the children, and hardly for himself,' he added, smiling. 'I think the mischief must all have been done by that game at whist.'
'Then I'll never play again in my life! I only thought he was an old man that wanted amusing--.' Then as one of the children peeped in at the window, and was called back--'0 dear! how shall I ever look at Conrade again, now any one has thought I could forget his father?'
'If Conrade knew it, which I trust he never will, he ought to esteem it a testimony to his mother.'
'Oh, no, for it must have been my fault! I always was so childish, and when I've got my boys with me, I can't help being happy,' and the tears swelled again in her eyes. 'I know I have not been as sad and serious as my aunt thought I ought to be, and now this comes of it.'
'You have been true, have acted nothing,' said Colonel Keith, 'and that is best of all. No one who really knew you could mistake your feelings. No doubt that your conduct agrees better with what would please our dear Sir Stephen than if you drooped and depressed the children.'
'Oh, I am glad you say that,' she said, looking up, flushed with pleasure now, and her sweet eyes brimming over. 'I have tried to think what he would like in all I have done, and you know I can't help being proud and glad of belonging to him still; and he always told me not to be shy and creeping into the nursery out of every one's way.'
The tears were so happy now that he felt that the wound was healed, and that he might venture to leave her, only asking first, 'And now what would you like me to do? Shall I try to persuade my brother to come away from this place?'
'Oh, but then every one would find out why, and that would be dreadful! Besides, you are only just come. And Miss Williams--'
'Do not let that stand in your way.'
'No, no. You will be here to take care of me. And his going now would make people guess; and that would be worse than anything.'
'It would. The less disturbance the better; and if you upset his plans now, he might plead a sort of right to renew the attempt later. Quiet indifference will be more dignified and discouraging. Indeed, I little thought to what I was exposing you. Now I hope you are going to rest, I am sure your head is aching terribly.'
She faintly smiled, and let him give her his arm to the foot of the stairs.
At first he was too indignant for any relief save walking up and down the esplanade, endeavouring to digest the unfairness towards himself of his brother's silence upon views that would have put their joint residence at Avonmouth on so different a footing; above all, when the Temple family were his own peculiar charge, and when he remembered how unsuspiciously he had answered all questions on the money matters, and told how all was left in the widow's own power. It was the more irritating, as he knew that his displeasure would be ascribed to interested motives, and regarded somewhat as he had seen Hubert's resentment treated when Francis teased his favourite rabbit. Yet not only on principle, but to avoid a quarrel, and to reserve to himself such influence as might best shield Lady Temple from further annoyance, he must school himself to meet his brother with coolness and patience. It was not, however, without strong effort that he was able to perceive that, from the outer point of view, one who, when a mere child, had become the wife of an aged general, might, in her early widowhood, be supposed open to the addresses of a man of higher rank and fewer years, and the more as it was not in her nature to look crushed and pathetic. He, who had known her intimately throughout her married life and in her sorrow, was aware of the quiet force of the love that had grown up with her, so entirely a thread in her being as to crave little expression, and too reverent to be violent even in her grief. The nature, always gentle, had recovered its balance, and the difference in years had no doubt told in the readiness with which her spirits had recovered their cheerfulness, though her heart remained unchanged. Still, retired as her habits were, and becoming as was her whole conduct, Colin began to see that there had been enough of liveliness about her to lead to Lord Keith's mistake, though not to justify his want of delicacy in the precipitation of his suit.
These reflections enabled him at length to encounter his brother with temper, and to find that, after all, it had been more like the declaration of an intended siege than an actual summons to surrender. Lord Keith was a less foolish and more courteous man than might have been gathered from poor Fanny's terrified account; and all he had done was to intimate his intention of recommending himself to her, and the view with which he had placed himself at Avonmouth; nor was he in the slightest degree disconcerted by her vehemence, but rather entertained by it, accepting her faithfulness to her first husband's memory as the best augury of her affection for a second. He did not even own that he had been precipitate.
'Let her get accustomed to the idea,' he said with a shrewd smile. 'The very outcry she makes against it will be all in my favour when the turn comes.'
'I doubt whether you will find it so.'
'All the world does not live on romance like you, man. Look on, and you will see that a pretty young widow like her cannot fail to get into scrapes; have offers made to her, or at least the credit of them. I'd lay you ten pounds that you are said to be engaged to her yourself by this time, and it is no one's fault but your own that you are not. It is in the very nature of things that she will be driven to shelter herself from the persecution, with whoever has bided his time.'
'Oh, if you prefer being accepted on such terms--'
He smiled, as if the romance of the exclamation were beneath contempt, and proceeded--'A pretty, gracious, ladylike woman, who has seen enough of the world to know how to take her place, and yet will be content with a quiet home. It is an introduction I thank you for, Colin.'
'And pray,' said Colin, the more inwardly nettled because he knew that his elder brother enjoyed his annoyance, 'what do you think of those seven slight encumbrances?'
'Oh, they are your charge,' returned Lord Keith, with a twinkle in his eye. 'Besides, most of them are lads, and what with school, sea, and India, they will be easily disposed of.'
'Certainly it has been so in our family,' said Colin, rather hoarsely, as he thought of the four goodly brothers who had once risen in steps between him and the Master.
'And,' added Lord Keith, still without direct answer, 'she is so handsomely provided for, that you see, Colin, I could afford to give you up the Auchinvar property, that should have been poor Archie's, and what with the farms and the moor, it would bring you in towards three hundred a year for your housekeeping.'
Colin restrained himself with difficulty, but made quiet answer. 'I had rather see it settled as a provision on Mary and her children.'
Lord Keith growled something about minding his own concerns.
'That is all I desire,' responded the Colonel, and therewith the conference ended. Nor was the subject recurred to. It was observable, however, that Lord Keith was polite and even attentive to Ermine. He called on her, sent her grouse, and though saying nothing, seemed to wish to make it evident that his opposition was withdrawn, perhaps as no longer considering his brother's affairs as his own, or else wishing to conciliate him. Lady Temple was not molested by any alarming attentions from him. But for the proclamation, the state of siege might have been unsuspected. He settled himself at the southern Gowanbrae as if he had no conquest to achieve but that of the rheumatism, and fell rapidly into sea-side habits--his morning stroll to see the fishing-boats come in, his afternoon ride, and evening's dinner party, or whist-club, which latter institution disposed of him, greatly to Colin's relief. The brothers lived together very amicably, and the younger often made himself helpful and useful to the elder, but evidently did not feel bound to be exclusively devoted to his service and companionship. All the winter residents and most of the neighbouring gentry quickly called at Gowanbrae, and Lord Keith, in the leisure of his present life, liked society where he was the man of most consequence, and readily accepted and gave invitations. Colin, whose chest would not permit him to venture out after sunset, was a most courteous assistant host, but necessarily made fewer acquaintances, and often went his own way, sometimes riding with his brother, but more frequently scarcely seeing him between breakfast and twilight, and then often spending a solitary evening, which he much preferred either to ecarte or to making talk.
The summer life had been very different from the winter one. There was much less intercourse with the Homestead, partly from Rachel being much engrossed with the F. U. E. E., driving over whenever the coachman would let her, to inspect progress, and spending much of her time in sending out circulars, answering letters, and writing a tale on the distresses of Woman, and how to help them, entitled 'Am I not a Sister?' Tales were not much in Bachel's line; she despised reading them, and did not love writing them, but she knew that she must sugar the cup for the world, and so she diligently applied herself to the piece de resistance for the destined magazine, heavily
