A Borrowed Honeymoon.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 28 February 1890, Page 3

A Borrowed Honeymoon.

But she evidently did not, for the ■bell rang again and again; Heywood rose and left the room ; 'he returned in a minute, elaborately •careless. . "•■" It's only a boy from the Crown;, with my things!" he remarked. Nell gasped, " Bufr-but where's Mrs White ?" «h« faltered. • . •• Oh, she said her daughter was going to be married, and she wanted

Fwr continuation of reading matter, set fourth page. - , .

If- 1 ■ _-n i <Hiiiimi iirn nwtmu 11 ' mil I' to go to the wedding and oou'dn't co ue back till t.li f -.' mo'uing 1 ," Hod Mr Heywood easily. But Noll began to cry and laugh together. " Darling, don't !" said Bertram, dropping his dress'ng case "\vit,h a thud. " I'll go homo if you want tneto;,ri do anything- you iko. Bui l can't have yon sleep'ng in this lonoly ]»'ace with no one but a drunken-old woman to look after you. Mayn't I stay? Why shouldn't we have a honeymoon as well as -our sister and Ohauncev ? "Eh, Nell ?" But Nell was dumb. * There' tire, after all, worse ways of getting through time than staying- iv a riverside cottage near Marlow alone with a wife whom one adores. Bertram Heywood grudged eachminuto as it nod. His wifa and he were alone iv the exact sense of the word, for Mrs White returned not at all. Perhaps she had an accident at the marriage of hoi- dau.ght.er. Eveta oh a honeymoon i<; is not amusing to wash dishes ; the llevwoods found it so irksome as to conduce to dining and lunching at the various riverside hof.ols within easy distance. Nell had occasion to remark that it was lucky Torn and Hilda knew .u<> one in "\farlo\y, for visitors might have been awkward. But Eobiuson Crusoe, hud he had a Mrs Crusoe to •share his solitude, cou'd not have been more undisturbed on his island. But dining out even among > strangers palls. Tiio third evening ii rained ; a large hamper had come down from 10 wn iillcd with sweet and indigestible tiling's, and, most important of all,. Airs .IT oy wood wished to cook buttered eggs over the spirit-lamp, which' her spouse had ' declared impossible. ' ' Buttered eggs— for dinner ? Cfood Lord !" he exclaimed. < ' Why not ? And there is curried lubster (tinned you know), and cold chicken, and pate de foie-gras, and caviar, and noyeau jelly, and cream from Buszard's. Aud such god inOringues !" "Heavens:" said Heywood, faintly. ;; Well, I'll look after the lobster*..'' It' was an odd menu, being added to rather than mended when it appeared on tlu; table. The cooks were flushed but triumphant. They embraced each other heartily by way of grace, and sat down to dine. Mrs Heywood had produced from the r-ellar her brotlior-in-law's best champagne, unwittingly, it must ho confessed, and Mr Heywood had been at no pains to enlighten her In the course of half an hour he walked round the table to pour some out lor her. and not having kissed her since the beginning of dinner, took occasion to do so. So tenderly' In fact, that he did not hear a slight stir in the hall; indeed, he had barely time to lift his head when the door opened to let in Mr and Mrs Ghauncey. The usurpors gasped. Nell was the first to recover herself. She kissed her sister, was delighted to see her, and had she found servants; 5 Heywood was rather less at ease. He saw Ohauncey eye the.halfwmpty champagne bottle and felt guilty. Also the damning fact of Ihe piwsqnce of JUis Gladstone-bug and dressing 'case ] n his wife's room lay heavy on his soul. ;i Have you been very lonely, and has Mrs White managed for you ?' asked Mrs Ohauncey, turning toward^the door.— "' I most, go up-. stairs 'and make, myself tidy. I '.suppose' my room isn't ready ; I'll go to yours, Nell !" Mrs Heywood's very recently acquired lord and master gave her a frenzid glance to remind her of his properties which strewed her npartment. "My room's not quite neat either," she remarked, hurrriedly, leaving the room before her sister. ' But Mrs Chauncey was young and fleet of foot. Nell had but just time to gain Vr room and thrust Bertrim's bn.q; and .dressing case under tlw muslin of her toilet-table before her sister entered. ;t It Avas frightfully hot in town !" si lo Said as ' sh e. ■ brushed her hair. "And we met Aunt Jane. So we came home, wo were so afraid she .would ask us to dinner. The servants avo coming here tomorrow." "What a flood of in r ormation !" said Nell with a faint languid smile. Flow cou'd she get to the toilettitVe? The uorn:u- of that horrid dressing-case stuck out in full view. 'SMis White cannot have injured herself with industry," continue 1 Mrs Clnunfvw walking o\v-; in th« OthrV S'i.VtiftllO TOOni" : • ri;ii ,;i,- : fijift did so > oil" s ; h a ari give;- gnil'y 'uaa and )ht>:>' riivnk. 011 ii i-luj.ir luy Ue.''ira"n's . s'mokini; 1 coil ■rut 'iov;it ;;nd loi-gotl.oii. Olij Avli'-i:. would .she i'o ! . . . . Mis Ohan.ncey :tood looking. at it, with a -srr.ight sieady stare. '.Tlifin she sighed deeply. " I saw some delicious candlesli.ulos to-day No 1," she remarked n' s^nlly. ' an,:l Tom wouldn't let me have ihcua."' i •-.!■■' ," No " biiia iS'eli; her throat so dry t,iiat she croake 1 The sound of her •^wn voice frightened her. : ■ 'To be continued.)