there was the instinctive terror of a basilisk eye gazing into her paradise of joy-the thanksgiving ran into a half- despairing deprecation.
And she knew that Frank was under Camilla's spell, and admired and trusted her still; nor had she been able to utter a word of caution to undeceive him. Should she have the power on the morrow? Camilla really loved skating, and surrounded as she was sure to be, there was hope of escaping her vigilant eye once more. To-morrow there would be another meeting with Frank! perhaps another walk with him!
That anticipation was soothing enough to bring back the power of joyful gratitude, and therewith of hopeful prayer.
CHAPTER XV. Plot and Counterplot
A lady a party of pleasure made,
And she planned her scheme full well, And day and night the party filled
The head of the demoiselle.-FABER
Though Frank had no reason to expect that the tidings of his success would be hailed with much satisfaction at home, yet his habit of turning to his mother for sympathy would have been too much for his prudence, but for the fact that Terry De Lancey had dragged into her room a massive volume of prints from the Uffizi Gallery, and was looking it over with her, with a zest she had not seen since the days when her father gloried in his collection.
His victory could only be confided to Charlie, who might laugh, but fully appreciated the repose of mind with which he could now encounter the examiners, and promised to do his part to cover the meetings of the lovers the next day. But even then the chances of another performance on the lake, or of a walk among the icicles afterwards, were departing. Thaw was setting in and by breakfast- time there was a down-pouring rain. Frank lingered about Cecil in hopes of a message to serve as an excuse for a rush to Sirenwood; but she proved to be going to drive to the working-room, and then to lunch at Mrs. Duncombe's, to meet the Americans and the ladies from Sirenwood, according to a note sent over in early morning at first sight of the wet.
Thereupon Frank found he had a last reference to make to his tutor, and begged for a lift. A touch of warmth in Cecil would have opened the flood-gates of his confidence, but she was exercised about a mistake in the accounts, and claimed his aid in tracking a defective seven-pence. When she heard him utter the monstrous statement that a hundred and five farthings were almost nine shillings, she looked at him with withering compassion, as sure to fail, and a small loss to Her Majesty; nor would she listen to any of his hints that he was very curious to see her working-room.
His question to the tutor judiciously lasted till twelve, when he dropped in to consult Captain Duncombe about horse-hire in London; and that gentleman, who had been undergoing a course of political economy all the morning, eagerly pounced on him for a tour of his stables, which lasted till luncheon was due, and he could casually enter the dining-room, where Lady Tyrrell held out her hand good- naturedly to him, laughing at the blankness he could not entirely conceal. 'Only me!' she said. 'It can't be helped! Poor Lenore caught such a dreadful sore throat last night, that I have shut her up in her room with a mustard poultice.'
'Indeed! I am very sorry.'
'You may well look horrified! You were the guilty party, I suspect. Taking her all across the park under those dank trees!'
He coloured up to the eyes, little expecting to be thus convicted; but Mrs. Duncombe came to his aid. 'My impartiality would impute the damage to her standing about with those wretched little dogs of mine.'
'It is your climate,' said Mrs. Tallboys. 'In our dry atmosphere there would be no risk with a far lower temperature.'
'I hope it is nothing serious,' said Frank, anxiously.
'I hope so too,' said Lady Tyrrell, looking archly into his face, which had not learnt such impenetrability as poor Lenore's.
'No; but really?' he said, in anxiety that would not be rallied away.
'This is the way,' said Lady Tyrrell. 'Young gentlemen persuade young ladies to do the most imprudent things-saunter about in the cold after skating, and dawdle under trees, and then wonder when they catch cold.-Do they do such things in your country, Mrs. Tallboys, and expect the mammas and elder sisters to be gratified?'
'Mammas and elder sisters are at a discount with you, are not they?' said Mrs. Duncombe.
'Our young women are sufficient to protect themselves without our showing tacit distrust, and encumbering them with guardianship,' returned the Professor.
'Mr. Charnock wishes we had reached that point,' said Lady Tyrrell.
She had put him completely out of countenance. He had not supposed her aware of his having been Lenore's companion, and was not certain whether her sister had not after all confided in her, or if he himself had not been an unconscious victim. The public banter jarred upon him; and while Cecil was making inquiries into the extent of the young ladies' privileges in America, he was mentally calculating the possibilities of rushing up to Sirenwood, trying to see Lenore in spite of her throat, and ascertaining her position, before his train was due; but he was forced to resign the notion, for Raymond had made an appointment for him in London which must not be missed; and before luncheon was over the dog-cart, according to agreement with Charlie, called for him.
'Good-bye, Mr. Frank,' said Mrs. Duncombe; 'will you have an old shoe thrown after you for luck?'
'The time is not come for that yet,' said Cecil, gravely.
'Tending in that direction. Eh, Charnock?' said the Captain. 'Here's to your success-now, and in what's to come!'
'Thank you, Captain,' said Frank, shaking his hand, liking the hearty voice. 'Lady Tyrrell, won't you give me your good wishes?' he asked, half diffidently.
'For the examination-yes, certainly,' she replied. 'It is safer not to look too far into your wishing-well.'
'And-and will you give my-my best regards to Le-to Miss Vivian, and say I grieve for her cold, and trust to her- to her good wishes- ' he uttered, quick and fast, holding her hand all the time.
'Yes, yes,' she said quickly; 'but last messages won't do when trains are due.'
'Not due yet,' said Frank; 'but I must go home. I've not seen my mother to-day, and I shall not have a moment.-Good-bye, Cecil; have you any commands for Raymond?'
'No, thank you,' said Cecil, gravely; and with a bow to the Americans, he was gone.
'That is one of your products of the highest English refinement?' said Mrs. Tallboys, whom in his preoccupation he had scarcely noticed.
'How does he strike you?' said Cecil. 'He is my brother-in-law, but never mind that.'
'He looks fitted for the hero of a vapid English novel. I long to force him to rough it, and to rub off that exquisite do-nothing air. It irritates me!'
'Frank Charnock has done a good deal of hard work, and is not to lead the life of an idle man,' said Captain Duncombe. 'I know I should not like to be in his shoes if he succeeds-grinding away in an office ten months out of the twelve.'
'In an office! I should like to set him to work with an axe!'
'Well, those dainty-looking curled darlings don't do badly in the backwoods,' said Lady Tyrrell.
'Ah! I understand! You stand up for him because there's a little tendresse for your sister,' said the plain- spoken American.
'Poor fellow! I am afraid he is far gone. It is an impossible thing, though, and the sooner he can be cured of it the better,' said Lady Tyrrell. 'I am sorry that walk took place yesterday.-Did he mention it at home, Cecil?'
'You are a very inconsistent woman, Lady Tyrrell,' broke in Mrs. Duncombe in her abrupt way. 'Here you are come to uphold the emancipation of woman, and yet, when we come to your own sister taking one poor walk-'
'I beg your pardon, Bessie,' said Lady Tyrrell, with her most courteous manner. 'I never said I was come to uphold the emancipation of woman; only to subject myself to Mrs. Tallboys' influence-she has to make a convert of me.'
For, of course, Lady Tyrrell was only drawn into the controversy as a matter of amusement, and possibly as something specially distasteful to the house of Charnock Poynsett; and Cecil was a good deal influenced by the fascination of her example, as well as by the eagerness of Mrs. Duncombe and the charms of the Americans; and above all, they conspired in making her feel herself important, and assuming that she must be foremost in all that
