LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 285, 11 May 1875, Page 3

LITERATURE.

RUPERT'S CHOICE. (Co?itimied.) There entered a girl, who certainly was tall, slight, and dark haired, but in every other respect was as unlike as possible what I had hoped to see. She was handsome, for she had a brilliant complexion, fine eyes, and rather good features; but, nevertheless, her appearance was a shock to me. Her hair was cut straight across her forehead, Gainsborough fashion, snd was in a mass of tangled curls behind : what there might be between I could not tell, for there was a high Tyrolese hat on the top of the erection. Her eyes were more or less "touched," I was sure. She had very high-heeled shoes, and her dress, which was of the dark blue cambric with white spots so fashionable last summer, fell in heavy pleated folds about her feet, and was fastened back very tightly and looped up very fussily. Altogether, she looked as if she had stepped out of a Plate of Fashions as to costume, and was mentally and morally more adapted to stand behind a refreshment counter than to be Rupert's wiso ! I could see that Mrs Loraine received an unpleasant shock; but she went forward and welcomed her cordially, saying, as she kissed her, how much she had looked forward to seeing her, and how glad she was to have her with her.

'lt is so kind of you to say so! ' answered Miss Herries in a voice not otherwife than sweet, but with a commonness of tone and accent which was terribly depres sing. ' It is so unfortunate that Rupert cannot be back to welcome you this first evening,' said Mrs Loraine, quietly. " You must put up with only me and our dear old friend Miss Barlow, for this evening. My son was sure you would understand that he could not help it. There is a change in the trains, so that he cannot get back after the cricket match, which was an old engagement. He will be here to breakfast to-morrow.'

'Oh! of course! I quite understand,' said Miss Herries, with a provoking smile. ' Now let me introduce you to Miss Barlow, my dear. She was Rupert's governess long ago, and is now staying with me for a few weeks—a great pleasure to me.' So Mrs Loraine talked on, trying to hide even from herself Miss Herries' total irresponsiveness; for, in answer to this introduction, she only bowed to me, and said, ' Indeed! How kind of you!' to Mrs Loraine. Saunders came in with fresh tea, which was a help to us. Mrs Loraine said something of "regret that her father's ill-health should have prevented her mother from being able to bring her on this first coming to Helmsleigh." ' Oh, thanks! you were too kind to think of asking her ! but mamma never goes anywhere.'

At this moment there entered a goodlooking youth of nineteen. Albert Eliot, a nephew of Mrs Loraine (or rather, of her husband), who was being crammed for an examination of some kind by the Vicar of Helmsleigh. He had come, obviously, to inspect his future cousin. Mrs Loraine introduced him, and, young though he was, his masculine presence worked a change in Miss Herries. She was quiet, almost demure in manner, but she was excited. 'Now, my dear,' said Mrs Loraine, a few minutes later,' 'I will take you to your room. We dine at half-past seven, and you will like to rest a little.'

As the door closed upon them, Albert planted himself in front of me and made a comical face of amazement and disgust. • That young woman won't let her eyes grow rusty for want of use!' he said. • Miss Barlow, Rupert ought to have his head punched!' ' You will keep Mr and Mrs Carter waiting for dinner, Albert,' I replied, as discouragingly as I could; but in my heart I felt that 1 agreed with him, and I went at once to my room to dress for dinner, feeling that I could not meet Mrs Loraine. My heart ached for her disappointment. What horrible blindness could have come over our boy? what infatuation could have made him fall in love with such a girl as this? When I went down to the drawing room, I found Mrs Loraine there alone. She made no remark about Miss Herries, which in itself sufficiently showed her disappointment. Miss Herries came down in good time, prettily, though showily, dressed in white, with black lace and red ribbons, and looking undeniably very handsome. The conversation at dinner dragged painfully. Mrs Loraine was chilled and depressed, and Miss Herries, though now quite at her ease, was unfortunate in her choice of subjects. She was evidently anxious to please, but her admiration of the place, her praises of the room assigned her, were utterly tasteless. The only sign of good taste that she showed was in abstaining from talking of Rupert—she never once mentioned him of her own accord, and barely responded to any accidental allusion to him. It was, under the circumstances, lucky, but it seemed to me unnatural. During the .evening we tried every imaginable subject. She was goodnatured, and very ready to talk, apparently quite unconscious of her own deficiencies. The knowledge of German, vaunted by Rupert, was themerest schoolgirl smattering; her music was not absolutely bad, but commonplace and meaningless. She was ready to profess interest in any subject that Mrs Loraine started, but before bedtime came we both knew that the other must have discovered her to be ill-educated, unrefined, and under-bred. When we went upstairs at night, Mrs Loraine stopped at the turning which led to her own rooms ; she could evidently bear no more. ' 1 will say good-night here, my dear,' she said ; 'I am very tired, and Miss Barlow will kindly see that you have all you want in your room.' She said good night to me, too. I knew it meant that she wished to be alone, and that for the present there was to be silence even between her and me. I thought her wise and right—and how I pitied her ! I accompanied Miss Herries to her room, to see that all was as it should be. She set down her candle and closed the door. ' Sit down and talk,' she said, familiarly. 'Put me up to a few things. You know her well, of course. Shall 1 find her easy to live with ?'

1 It is difficult to tell beforehand who will suit each other,' I replied, coldly; for hereasy tone displeased me. ' Mrs Loraine is a most charming person, and kindness itself.' ' Rather odd, though, isn't she ? Well! I daresay we shall do very well together ; and with such a lot of us at home, and so little money, lam thankful to get away. It's always a chance, but I think I have done very well for myself.'

Too much disgusted to answer, as of course it would not do to speak my mind, I merely said " Good-night,' and left her.

Chapter 111.

The following morning, being Friday, there was an early service in the village church at half-past eight. I walked across the park to it, but I was a little late—the vicar was just coming out of the vestry. Mrs Loraine was already there, but I did not go up the church to her seat; I slipped into that nearest to the door. A moment afterwards a stranger came in quietly and sat down near me.

She was a tall, graceful girl, very simply dressed, but looking, in her black skirt and brown holland polonaise, thoroughly like a high bred lady. She was rather pale, with dark hair in simple rich coils, and long dark eyelashes, which (as I saw when she turned to smile her thanks for the offer of a footstool) shaded large dark grey eyes, with an expression so intelligent, sweet, and refined that I longed to know who she was. She left the church quickly as soon as the service was over, and walked away towards the further end of the village. I asked the clerk if he knew her. "She'll be the new young lady that came to the Grange last night to live with Mrs George," was the reply. Mrs George Loraine was the widow of a cousin of my Mrs Loraine. George Loraine had squandered all his own fortune, and had been idle and dissipated ; but when, in failing health, he married the widow of a very rich iron-master, his love for Helmsleigh (which under his uncle's guardianship had been his home in his boyhood) showed itself by his asking for a lease of the Grange for his own life and his wife's. He added, and improved, and made a charming place of it, and his widow still lived there—just outside the village. 'Mrs George' was neither young nor handsome, but she was rich, goodnatured, and 'jolly,' and no one could dislike her, though she was rather vulgar. She always had a ' companion,' being too sociable to like living alone; and she generally chose pretty girls, as she enjoyed taking them about with her and trying to marry them. They rarely stayed long, for she invariably began by spoiling them, and then they took liberties and were dismissed in disgrace; or else she fancied that they had designs on Rupert, whom she worshipped, like the rest of the world, and they were sent away to be out of his reach. But this girl looked most unfit for such a position. That she should be Mrs George's companion, while Mona Hemes was to be Rupert's wife! I walked back to the Manor with Mrs Loraine, but we were silent except on village topics. Just as we reached the house, Rupert drove up in his dog-cart, which had gone to meet him at the station. Mrs Loraine kissed her hand to him, but. hurried into the house as if she thought herself late. I saw that she dreaded his questions. 'Good morning, Job!' he called out, cheerily, as he pulled up. 'So Mona came all right!' ' Yes,' I replied. ' And how did she and mother hit it oft ?' he asked, as we entered the hall. ' Your mother was as kind as it was possible to be,' I said : ' you need not be afraid of that.' I hurried upstairs to avoid further questions.

A few minutes later I looked out of my window and saw Rupert and Miss Herries standing on the lawn outside the diningroom window. His back was towards me, so I could not see what was his expression; but hers provoked me beyond endurance. How could Rupert find any attraction in such looks and manners, even though the eyes were handsome ? Not long afterwards, the sound of the gong took me down to breakfast. Mrs Loraine and I met at the door ; Rupert and Miss Herries came in at the open window. Mrs Loraine greeted the young lady kindly, and then turned to Rupert and said something about being glad he had got back so early.

' I was sure to come!' he said, as he stooped to kiss his mother. ' And now, tell me, how have you and Mona been getting on ! I asked Job, but she was not communicative.'

Now, to be asked by your son, in the presence of a young lady who is to be your daughter in-law, how you have got on with her, can never be pleasant; but when you are conscious of having taken a great dislike to her, it must be singularly disagreeable. Mrs Loraine looked intensely annoyed, but she tried to smile as she said, * I think I must leave that question for Mona herself to answer !'

Miss Herries, who was standing by the window looked out, neither turned round nor showed any sign of interest.

' When she appears, I'll ask her,' replied Rupert, carelessly. ' I wonder what makes her so late ?'

'My dear Rupert!' remonstrated his mother, nervously, 'do not talk so wildly.' 'lam quite in earnest, mother,' he said. ' I think she must either be very tired, or not well, or not know her way, or something—for she is always up early, I know. What on earth are you staring at, Job ? I am not at all ashamed of being anxious about her.'

' I don't understand !' began Mrs Loraine, and she looked at me to help her; for the strange conversation had brought Miss Herries to the table. "Don't tease your mother, Rupert," I said, earnestly, "but explain quietly. Is not this young lady Miss Herries ? "

Rupert's look of amazement and indignation was unmistakable. It said as plainly as words could have done, "That—my Mona? Are you all mad ? " The next moment the poor girl's look of bewilderment recalled him to a recollection of what was courteous, and he said, " I have never had the pleasure of seeing that young lady before, and do not know her name."

' I don't know what the mistake is !' said the supposed Miss Herries, turning to-Mrs Loraine with crimson cheeks and looking ready to cry. 'My name is Marian Harris, and I came on down to Helmsleigh yesterday to live with Mrs Loraine.' Light broke in upon us, though how it had all happened we could not tell. Mrs Loraine, not heeding Rupert's excited question, ' But where is Mona?' kindly answered Miss Harris : 'lt is not your fault, my dear, only a mistake from the similarity of names. You were going to Hemsleigh Grange, I imagine, to my cousin Mrs George Loraine. I sent to meet a Miss Herries, who is to be my daughter-in-law.' To be continued/.