The Three Brides

travelling-bag, and was as merry as she had been miserable.

Not a word on the feud was uttered; and the pair walked down to the village, where she was exemplary, going into all those more distasteful parts of her duties there, which she sometimes shirked.

And on her return, finding her long-expected letter from Miss M'Kinnon awaiting her, she forgot all offences in her ardour to indoctrinate everybody with the hopes it gave of affording Mrs. Poynsett a change of room, if not even greater variety. Unfortunately, this eagerness was not met with a corresponding fervour. There was in the household the acquiescence with long- established invalidism, that sometimes settles down and makes a newcomer's innovations unwelcome. Raymond had spoken to the old doctor, who had been timid and discouraging; Susan resented the implication that the utmost had not been done for her dear mistress; and Mrs. Poynsett herself, though warmly grateful for Rosamond's affection, was not only nervously unwilling to try experiments, but had an instinctive perception that there was one daughter-in-law to whom her increased locomotion would scarcely be welcome, and by no means wished to make this distaste evident to Raymond. Cecil would not have been so strong against the risk and imprudence, if her wishes had been the other way. Moreover, she had been warned off from interference with the Rector's wife in the village, and she did not relish Rosamond's making suggestions as to her province, as she considered the house-above all, when she viewed that lady as in a state of disgrace. It was nothing less than effrontery; and Cecil became stiffer and colder than ever. She demanded of her mother-in- law whether there had been any promise of amendment.

'Oh! Julius will see to all that,' said Mrs. Poynsett.

'It is a woman's question,' returned Cecil.

'Not entirely.'

'Fancy a clergyman's wife! It Mrs. Venn had appeared in that way at Dunstone!'

'You would have left it to Mr. Venn! My dear, the less said the sooner mended.'

Cecil was silenced, but shocked, for she was far too young and inexperienced to understand that indecorous customs complied with as a matter of course, do not necessarily denote lack of innate modesty-far less, how they could be confounded with home allegiance; and as to Anne, poor Rosamond was, in her eyes, only too like the ladies who impeded Christiana on her outset.

So her ladyship retreated into languid sleepy dignity towards both her sisters-in-law; and on Monday evening showed herself, for a moment, more decolletee, if possible, than before. Mrs. Poynsett feared lest Julius were weak in this matter; but at night she had a visit from him.

'Mother,' he said, 'it will not happen again. Say no more.'

'I am only too thankful.'

'What do you think settled it? No less than Lady Tyrrell's admiration.'

'What could she have said?'

'I can't make out. Rose was far too indignant to be comprehensible, when she told me on the way home; but there was something about adopting the becoming, and a repetition of-of some insolent praise.' And his mother felt his quiver of suppressed wrath. 'If Rose had been what that woman took her for, she would have been delighted,' he continued; 'but-'

'It was horrible to her!' said his mother. 'And to you. Yes, I knew it would right itself, and I am glad nothing passed about it between us.'

'So am I; she quite separates you from Cecil and Anne, and indeed all her anger is with Lady Tyrrell. She will have it there was malice in inciting her to shock old friends and annoy you-a sort of attempt to sympathize her into opposition.'

'Which had a contrary effect upon a generous nature.'

'Exactly! She thinks nothing too bad for that woman, and declares she is a serpent.'

'That's dear Rosamond's anger; but I imagine that when I occur to Camilla's mind, it is as the obstructive old hag, who once stood in her way; and so, without any formed designs, whatever she says of me is coloured by that view.'

'Quite possible; and I am afraid the sister is just such another. She seems quite to belong to Mrs. Duncombe's set. I sat next her at dinner, and tried to talk to her, but she would only listen to that young Strangeways.'

'Strangeways! I wonder if that is Susan Lorimer's son?'

'Probably, for his Christian name is Lorimer.'

'I knew her rather well as a girl. She was old Lord Lorimer's youngest daughter, and we used to walk in the Square gardens together; but I did not see much of her after I married; and after a good while, she married a man who had made a great fortune by mining. I wonder what her son is like?'

'He must be the man, for he is said to be the millionaire of the regiment. Just the match that Lady Tyrrell would like.'

'Ah! that's well,' said Mrs. Poynsett.

'From your point of view,' said Julius, smiling.

'If he will only speak out before it has had time to go deep with Frank!'

CHAPTER IX. Cold Heart

At that very moment the two sisters in question were driving home in the opposite corners of the carriage in the dark.

'Really, Lenore,' was Lady Tyrrell saying, 'you are a very impracticable girl.'

There was a little low laugh in answer.

'What blast has come and frozen you up into ice?' the elder sister added caressingly; but as she felt for Eleonora's hand in the dark, she obtained nothing but the cold handle of a fan. 'That's just it!' she said, laughing; 'hard ivory, instead of flesh and blood.'

'I can't help it!' was the answer.

'But why not? I'm sure you had admiration enough to turn any girl's head.'

No answer.

Lady Tyrrell renewed her address still more tenderly-'Lenore, darling, it is quite needful that you should understand your position.'

'I am afraid I understand it only too well,' came in a smothered voice.

'It may be very painful, but it ought to be made clear before you how you stand. You know that my father was ruined-there's no word for it but ruined.'

'Yes.'

'He had to give up the property to the creditors, and live on an allowance.'

'I know that.'

'And, of course, I can't bear speaking of it; but the house is really let to me. I have taken it as I might any other house to let.'

'Yes,' again assented Eleonora.

'And do you know why?'

'You said it was for the sake of the old home and my father!' said the girl, with a bitter emphasis on the said.

'So it was! It was to give you the chance of redeeming it, and keeping it in the family. It is to be sold, you know, as soon as you are of age, and can give your consent. I can't buy it. Mine is only a jointure, a life income, and you know that you might as well think of Mary buying Golconda; but you-you-with such beauty as yours-might easily make a connection that would save it.'

There was only a choked sound.

'I know you feel the situation painfully, after having been mistress so long.'

'Camilla, you know it is not that!'

'Ah, my dear, I can see farther than you avow. You can't marry till you are twenty-one, you know; but you might be very soon engaged, and then we should see our way. It only depends on yourself. Plenty of means, and no land to tie him down, ready to purchase and to settle down. It would be the very thing; and I see you are a thoroughly sensible girl, Lena.'

'Indeed! I am not even sensible enough to know who is to be this purchaser.'

'Come, Lena, don't be affected. Why! he was the only poor creature you were moderately gracious to.'