MISTRESS AND MAID. A Story of St. Valentine's Day.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 39, 1 March 1884, Page 5

MISTRESS AND MA ID. A Story of St. Valentine's Day.

Mary Felton sat in her handsomely-fur-nished boudoir in one of the mansions of Hanover Square. Her luxuriant hair was flowing in dark and wavy masses over her shoulders and far down her back. Her maid, a pretty piquant c creature of the Fronch type, stood immediately behind, braiding her mistress's hair, while the mistress herself sat silently watching the motions of the maid in a glass before her. Now and anon she heaved a sigh, which she cared not to hide from the maid, who was, as is very often the case to a certain extent, her confidante as well. And why did she sigh, that handsome woman— for handsome indaed she was. Hers was that style of beauty which commands instant admiration. "With a face of surpassing loveliness, with a figure of the most delicate contour, and with a fortune which many a prince might have envied, she was still unhappy. We need not enter hero into her chai*acter, but leave it to develop itself in the course of our short story, merely premising that she Mas a widow of eight-and-twenty, endowed with great personal charms and accomplishments as belitted one of her high station. It is almost needless to say that she went into society a good deal. Dozens of needy adventurers had in vain endeavoured to secure so rich a prize. But Mary Felton could see through them all, and had resolved that until she could ally herself to a man of equal fortune with herself, and one who was likewise a man of rank, she would remain a widow. She was the daughter of Sir James Carbrooke, one of the richest men in the county of Norfolk. At the age of IS she had run away to London with a man almost old enough to be her grandfather, temptGd by his vast wealth and the mine of jewels it would secure to her ; they vere privately married, aud took up their abode in Hanover Square, where she had resided ever since. For the last three years, how ever, she had been alone, for her husband had died soon after the birth of her only child ; and envious and malicious people said that Mrs Felton was not sorry when the son follow ed the father. It was even hinted that she had driven the old drysalter to his grave by the life she led him, for he was but a poor weakly thing at the best. Be that as it may, he was terribly jealous, and as he never went into society and she was at ball, route, or dinner almost every day in the week, 'tis no wonder he quietly succumbed, and left Hanover Square for a better or worse place. Having explained this much, let us return to Mary and her maid. " Rose," said Mary, all at once, "Do you think I shall have a valentine to-morrow?" "Yes, indeed, madam," replied the maid, with a slight foreign accent, " not only one, but I think you will have many." " Yes, yes, Rose," retorted Mary, petulantly, " we know that, but one from him — you know whom I mean." " Rose cannot say, indeed, but she thinks not," and as she spoke a slight shade of pain came over the girl's face, and a tear struggled to get on to her cheek ; but she busied herself with her mistress's hair and half averted her face, so that Mary had not observed the moisture in her eye. " Oh ! you think not, do you, Rose ? and pray why ?" she continued, w ith a slight degree of asperity. " I cannot say, madam, I cannot say," and the girl became more agitated than before ; and as Mary looked in the glass she could see the tears coursing their way down Rose's cheeks. Thinking it was in consequence of her speaking rather sharply, Mary said more mildly, " Now, Rose, child, don't be foolish ; you mustn't mind me ; but on this subject I am easily pained. You have now been with me seven or eight months, and I have no fault to find with you. You have been a good girl, and I have treated you more as a companion than a servant ; but there is something about you that I cannot make out. When you first came here you seemed to discharge your duties almost with repugnance, as though indeed you had yourself been in the habit of being waited on and made much of. But then your last mistress at Brighton tells me your parents were very humble and poor, and that Avhen they died she herself engaged you as maid to one ot her rich pupils — to Miss Lefevre, if I mistake not, daughter of Lord March - mont. Is that so, child ?" " Yes, I believe that is what she told you, but it is not correct In the first place, my parents were not in a low station." " Why, Rose, it is the first time you have ever said so to me." " Because you never asked me, madame. Besides, I don't care to talk about my former position." "Well, child, well, I dare say you are right. You may have been in a decent position before you took to service, and therefore feel it the more when spoken to. Still, you are but nineteen, and you must prepare for the battles of life, for you will doubtless meet with a gocd deal of sharp language before your hair turns gray." Miss Felton laughed, but seeing Rose looked sad, added, "Now, Rose, put on a smiling face. I want to talk to you about him, Rose ?" "Yes, madame?'' " I love him, Rose. I have given him my love unasked and unsought ; but, Rose, I must try and make him love me. My fortune will not tempt him, I know, but I almost think I have won him for myself alone. He has called with his sister very often of late, up to within three or four weeks ago, and I have noticed his eye light up when I have called upon you to fetch my things, so that I might accompany him and his sister to the Park ; and if to-morrow he sends me a valentine, I shall dare hope that an offer will follow." Clement Bellevue was a young man of good family. It had been a case with Mary the first night she met him — at a ball fiven by Xady Chepstow some months efore the opening of our story. Since then she had followed him with a passion that nothing could restrain to balls, dinners, or theatres ; in fact, wherever he went, there went Mary Felton, for she could always learn from the sister where the brother was likely to be. At first Clement tried to avoid her, though many of his comrades would have given worlds for one smile from the queen of fashion. But Bellevue was a guardsman, had been in many climes, and seen many styles of beauty. He could not bow to the stately grace of Mary's beauty, and she was far indeed from his ideal shrine of love. He was an impulsive fellow was Clement, who always said that if ever he married it would be for love alone. Therefore the wealth of Mrs Felton weighed not at all in the scale of his feelings towards her, but he acknowledged to himself that she was a woman whom it would be difficult to surpass in her own particular style of beauty. Bellevue, as a man of the world, could not fail to see that he had made an impression, quite unsought by himself. As he could not reciprocate he avoided her society as much as possible, though not directly. He never led her to believe he cared for her until one afternoon when his sister called upon her

and compelled him to accompany her. And then it was for the first time that a visible smile of more than pleasure passed aci'oss his handsome face. Mary had asked Miss Bellevue whether they should walk in the park, and Bellevue was called upon as an escort. It was then that a smile of pleasure had lighted up his eye and colouied his cheek. On several subsequent occasions the same thing had occurred, until Mary laughed away her fears, and believed he was only waiting an opportunity to declare his passion ; and, as her wealth was great, for fear he should think she might misjudge his motives, she did her best to lot him see that she was not indifferent to him. But instead of her suit advancing it appeared to recede, for during the last few visits of Bellevue and his sister, the former appeai'ed to have lost much of that animation which had distinguished him on his previous visits. Now, although Mary was consumed with the fires of love, v hen he became cool she became frigid, and so things were at the opening of our story. She did not, however, give all thoughts of him up, and now on the eve of St. Valentine's Day she hoped to receive a love missive as an earnest of his wish to possess her heart and hand. A few words as to the captain's line of conduct towards Mary a\ Inch had led that gloriously statuesque widow to think herself not unfavoured by him. Certainly the captain did not purposely act with the intention of deceiving hei", and as soon as he discovered he had placed himself in a false position, he became cold and reserved, and this to such a degree that even the ardent love of the widow took flight under the calm exterior of her marble countenance. Having devoted so much time and space to Mary Felton, it is time- we said a few words about the real heroine of our story who has been di'eadfully neglected hitherto. Well, then, to begin \\ ith, we must let the reader know that instead of being desperately in love with the widow, Captain Bellevue's affections A\ere centred upon her maid, Hose, whom we will now take the opportunity of more full}' describing. She Avas scarcely 19 years of age, fair and ]>etite, A\ith sweet bluo eyes, and flaxen air. No need to go into particulars as to the character of her features ; suffice it to say she was an exquisitely beautiful blonde, somewhat sedate looking, and a\ ith her hair worn in such a way as to least set oft" her charms, cherry lips, pearly teeth, rose of damask, <fee, &c, may help to heighten the effect. Her hands and feet were delicately shaped, while her form was simply faultless. Once upon a time, and not so very long ago, Rose had been a merry-hearted gill, but not while in the service of Mrs Felton, and of late she had appeared more sei ions than ever. The fact is she had got a woman's complaint — she A\as in love. And a\ ith whom ? do we imagine ; as hy w horn, of course, but Captain Bellevue, for is he not to be our hero, as already she is our heroine, not that the Captain knew it — no, she -would have died before that. Nor did she love like her mistress without that love being ardently, passionately sought. But the approaches of Captain Bellevue had been restrained ; his advances declined, his affection icily thrust back. And yet as c have said she loved him. But in her position how could she acknowledge it, and to be other than his A\ife, or that he, for one moment, would wish otherwise, never crossed her mind. Neither must the Captain be misjudged, for although he had spoken to Rose of love no \\ ord had passed his lips that might not have been uttered by the most gallant gentleman in Europe to his royal lady love. Read the explanation. When Bellevue first accompanied his sister to Mary Felton's he did so very unwillingly, for he wished to escape the toils of that lovely woman. It was on this first visit that Mary had proposed the walk in the park, and then it "was that Rose was called upon to fetch the bonnet and shawl. No sooner did Bellevue see her than a shock like a spark of electricity went through him, and his face lighted up with a flush of pleasure which did not escape the watchful eyes of Mary, "who, however, made a slight mistake as to its origin. She thought it was called forth by her request for him to escort her and his si&ter to the park. But Clement Bellevue was taking Rose in with all his eyes, and while a feeling akin to love at first sight crept, or rather rushed over him, he felt that it was not so, for he recognised in Rose a face he had seen before. And then he carried his memory back almost day by day, Aveek by Aveek, month by month, and year by year, but he could not solve the riddle where he had before seen her. During the Avalk in the park he Avas unusually absent minded, and it Avas in vain that both his sister and the AvidoAv tried to rally him. After some hours' study he had cleared up one point. He felt certain they had met in France ; the period, about three years before ; and he was likewise certain that upon that occasion she had occupied a very different position from the one she iioav held. But puzzle his brain as he might, he could not dofine that position. Determined to be set at rest on the point, he made it his business — a labour of llorA r e — to call at Hanover Square, when he knew the Avidow was from home. He told the servant to send Rose to him ; and the maid came in trembling from head to foot, for Avell she kneAV the handsome gentleman, thongh it was some three or four years since the time of their last meeting. But ever since that night on which she had danced with him under her father's roof in Paris she had never once forgotten him, for on that to her eventful night — they had half exchanged vows. After that she had not seen him again, for he Avas called away the next day to the bedside of his dying mother in London ; and what with grief at his loss and his subsequent career abroad fighting his country's battles, the imago of poor Rose had quite faded aAvay. But no sooner did he behold her at the residence of Mary Felton than it returned as originally graven on his heart, though under Avhat circumstances he bad met her he could not call to mind. " Rose," said he to her kindly Avhen she entered, " do not tremble so, I mean you no harm ; but there is some mystery about you which I feel I must have explained ; what is your name ?" "Rose Harvey." "That is the name you go by here, I knoAV ; but Avhat is your real name?" "Rose Harvey is my name here. I have no other — now." " w Now. Then you had another. We have [met before, Rose— in Franco, was it not;?" "I have been in France, sir ; I was there when I was young— you may perhaps have seen me there. " "Perhaps? I have seen you there. "Would to Heaven I could recollect under what circumstances ; but very different from these lam sure. But, Rose, tell me, I pray you, for my future happiness may depend upon it — what is your real name, and Avhat were the circumstances under which we met ?" " I cannot, do not ask me, I pray," and Rose burst into tears. "Oh, sir, I pray you do not a&k me. When last we met it was under — " "Yes? yes?" interrogated Bellevue, finding she could go no further. _ Rose now sobbed violently at the recollection of her former happy days, and would

have abruptly quitted the room had not Bollevuo detained her. " One moment, Hose, I have tried my utmost, I havo ransacked my brain incessantly to try and find out how and when we last met. All in vain, but it doos not matter : I know that you are good and beautiful. I have a fortune of my own, or shall have in four months from this time, and I now ask you Hose, dear, whether you will be my wife. I love you truly, and, believe me, will do my utmost " " Sir, I must not stay to hear this, yoii know not what you are saying— marry a servant, a beggar, never !" and poor Roso again burst into tears, and would this time have rushed from the room, but he again detained her and seized her hands, and pressed them earnestly. As he did so a light flashed upon his mind, for he drew himself back in a reflective attitude, and then gazing upon his fair prisoner's hands, still partially held iv his own, he exclaimed joyously :—: — ' ' I have it ! I have it ! I never saw nor felt two^such hands in my life; it is, yes, it is liosc de Camille " "Pray do not mention that name if you love me — Oh what am I saying — excuse me, I don't know what 1 am doing." "I'll not only excuse you, but I'll bless you," exclaimed the Captain, and at the same time he embraced her ardently in spite of her opposition — though her little heart beat with a secret joy. " What a dolt I must havo been not to have thought of that before, and you, my little wifey, too, with whom I exchanged vows, how is Monsieur le Baron ? Oh ! poor girl ! 1 see ; but how comes it that I find you in this position, dearest ?" "You must not call mo by that name." A moment's pause. " After the revolution my father's estates were confiscated, and we v ero compelled to escape to England. About eighteen months ago he died. We were very poor, and after the funeral I found I should bo compelled to get my living as best I could. I\\ as first a teacher in a young ladies' seminary at Brighton ; but I did not like the life the mistress led me, &o I came here as lady's-maid and companion to Mrs Felton. I have written a petition to the Emperor asking him to restore me our estates, but 1 have received no reply, and so see no chance of ever bettering my position." "Butldo," said the Captain; "all doubt is now removed from my mind, and being satisfied that you are of good birth and education, will at once be married, and you shall be acknowledged to the world as my wife.' " Clement— Captain — Sir, it cannot be, it can never be, your oiler is most noble, but I can never accept it. Throw your affections upon my mistress, who loves you dearly, and, as for me, when you are manied 1 will go back to France " "Never! Rose; you must relent and bid me hope. As soon as your mistress returns I will toll her yoiu history, and you must at once leave this place and take up your abode with my sister." "Now, Captain Bellevue, hear me," said Ro«,e, resolutely, but with trembling lip and pallid cheek ; "no matter in what relation we might once have stood towards each other, we must henceforth be as strangers. I am firm, and I tell you this, that if you once mention, or even hint at my origin to my mistress, I leave London never to return. As for any attempt on your part to change my resolution with regard to yourself, it would be useless ; and though I thank you sincerely for your offer, I am compelled to decline the honour you would confer upon me in order to avert the disgrace it would bring upon yourself. Had I been Rose de Camille, daughter of Baron do Camille, in possession of his rights, the case might have been different. As things are, my decision is irrevocable. Captain Bellevue, 1 pray you recollect my words. Good morning !" And Rose abruptly quitted the room. After this, Captain Bellevue did not visit the house so often as before, and remembering the words about Mary's love for him, he became cooler in his demeanour towards that lady, determined not to give her the slightest hope of ever inspiring him with love. Since he had again teen Rose ho had set his heart upon having her in marriage, and her only. He could understand lier feeling, and appreciate them. He turned over in his head many schemes for putting her into possession of wealth, when he came into his fortune, so that she might think herself his equal in a worldly point of view. He also wrote to a friend of his in military command in France, whose duties placed him near the Emperor. To this friend he confided the whole facts of the case, and besought him to use his best influence with hi&lmperial master to induce him to restore the estates of the late Baron de Camille to his daughter. In the meanwhile, Clement kept aloof from Hanover Square, but occasionally sent letters to Rose under cover of the housekeeper, and she would have been less than a woman had she declined to read them. True, she never replied ; but then he knew his protestations of love and faith had reached her, and it gave him infinite joy. As stated, it was the 13th of February, and Mary Felton and Rose were in the boudoir. And Avhile w e have been running on about the different characters of our tale Rose has finished her lady's hair, and the lady has taken a novel and lazily commenced to read ; but soon getting tired of this, she throws the book on one side and again sighs heavily. "Rose?" " Yes, madame ?" "If I don't receive one from him tomoiTOW, much and deeply as I love him, I'll wringe his image from my heart and think of him no more. But, oh, Rose, Ido love him, though I ought to be ashamed to say that of a man who had not sought my love." And the strong woman fairly broke down and wept. Rose pitied her mistress, while at the same time a pleased flutter ran through her when Mary said she would think of him no more. They sat some time longer, mistress and maid, and Mary again essayed to read, but she threw down the book impatiently and retired to rest, and Rose afterwards followed her example. Next morning dawned with a cloudless sky, and young ladies were in a flutter of delight, for was it not St. Valentine's morn, and such a morn! the sun shone brightly from out the blue ethereal heavens, and the sparrows sang gaily on the housetops as they twitted from roof to roof and from place to place in search of the food we have all heard so much about in the shape of the early worm. The widow received at least a dozen handsome valentines, all of which she tossed impatiently aside, for there was none in the handwriting of Bellevue ; and as the lovely woman retired to her boudoir in the afternoon to dress, she bit her lip until her teeth were stained with blood. Oh, how majestic looked that woman now, as she stood before her glass with hair dishevelled and bust half exposed, with flashing eyes and dilated nostrils. She seemed indeed a perfect incarnation of some beauteous goddess preparing for revenge ; and as her lips quivered, and she dashed her clenched hand down upon the dressing table shivering more than one of her perfumery bottles, no beholder would have cared to risk her fury As her eyes wandered round the apartment they lighted on a letter lying on the

floor. She pioked it up. It was addressed to Miss Kose Harvey. It lad not been opened, and as she gazed upon it her eyes flashed more fiercely than ever, for she recognised the handwriting of Captain Bellevue. To tear it open and read the contents was the work of but a few seconds. At one corner of the note a small white rose was raised upon a pink ground, while at the opposite corner was a miniature red camilia, both being perfect flowers, though rather crushed and bruised. Between the flowers *were the arms and crest of the House of Bellevue ; the note ran as follows : — "Clement's Valentine to his Rose. My sweet, white, and spotless Rose, —You can refuse me no longer. An event has occurred which will I know give you joy, as it gives me supreme happiness, as 1 may now come and claim you for my bride. If restored to your own you have said the barrier would be removed. Restitution has been made, and I will call upon you this evening with the documents restoring your fortuno and estates, and a special messenger frem the Emperor, and claim my rewai'd ; propare to receive me, not as before, but as your future husband.— Yourd for over, Clement." The reader's face was pale before ; but when she saw this it turned to a deadly white, and she would hnvo fallen had she ■, not supported herself against the table. For a icoment she remained still, and then flew to the bell rope, and pulled it with a violence that was sufficient to have broken nine out of ton. A servant rushed into the room affrightedly, and seeing her mistress with her faco deadly pale, she ran to the dressing table and brought her the eau da cologne. " Emmets, a letter came this morning for Rose which she has nob received. AVlio took it in ? Do you know?" "The housekeeper, I believe." " Send her to me directly." In a few minutes Mrs Hopkins appeared, in a terrible state of apprehension. " Hopkins, look at this letter. Have you seen it before ?'' "I have, ina'm." " When ?" " This morning." ••How did you get it ?" " It was brought to me." "To you ! What ! addressed to you ?" " Addressed to Mi&s Harvey, under cover to me." '•Who brought it?" Mi\s Hopkins hesitated. " Speak at once, I command you !" " Captain Bellovue's tiger." " Is this the first he has brought ?" The old lady seemed less inclined to answer this question than the other. "Dare you hesitate!" almost shrieked the a\ ido\\\ " No, it is not the first." "How many have been brought altogether ?" "About nine." " Extending over what time ?" " Ever since Captain Bellevue first visited you." " That will do, you may go; and remember you quit this house to-night." "To-night! and I have served you so faithfully " " You heard what I said. Go to Winter in half an hour ; he will pay you your money, as well as an extra quarter in lieu of notice. Now leave the room, and quit the house beforo 7 to-night, or I will have you thrust into the street. Go !" The mistress commanded this so fiercely that the poor housekeeper at once quitted the room, very glad to make her escape Avith whole bones, for her mistress appeared a human tigress at that moment. The widow threw a loose cloak over her shoulders and made her way to Rose's chamber. On the drawers stood a small work-box. This Mary opened without a moment's hesitation. Within was lying a small packet of letters secured with blue ribbon. She cared not to whom they belonged, but at once proceeded to read them through; nor did she stop until she had read the last. Her passion had by this time increased tenfold, for the letters were couched in the most affectionate terms. They were from Captain Bellevue to Rose. She had just finished reading when her maid entered. She saw what her mistress was doing, and turned pale. Neither spoke for nearly a minute, but stood gazing upon each other, Mary with the fierce and angry glare of a thwarted rival. At length Bo&e said, " Madam, I must request that you will deliver up tome a letter which J dropped in thejboudoir a short time ago, and which you picked up." And now tho long pent-up fury of the passionate woman burst foi-th. "Girl i wretch ' hypocrite ! viper ! worm that you are, Avhom I could crush with one touch of my heel ! And has it come to this, that a man whom I love should so debase himself as to enter into an intrigue with the like of yon — a thing without rag or food that is not found her. You artful, hateful, bold, bad girl, who would have thought you were so lost to all sense of honour — so become a curse to woman — a tiling &o mean and debased that even men will spurn you — a " Stay, madam, I command you ! A servant I may be, but I am no menial — a worm I may be, but I am no viper. And as for losing my honour, madam, if you have read those letters — and I trust for your own sake you have not— you will see that I possess as much honour and purity as yourself, neither am I bold or base born — perhaps, madam, I am the better born of the two." "If you please, ma'am, Captain Bellevue has called and wishes to see Miss Rose particulary, and at once." " Miss Rose, indeed ! Dare he insult me in my own house ? This is too much !" Saying which, she rushed' into the library, where she found Captain Bellevue and a strange gentleman of foreign appearance standing by the window. " What means this intrusion, gentlemen ? What ." "It means ," "Silence, sir! I cannof listen to you Oh, that I had a brother, sir, to call you out, or horsewhip you ; but thank Heaven, I have escaped from one with your base and lowborn menial tastes." " Miss Rose is no low-born, madame. On the contrary, I beg to inform you that she is the daughter of the late Baron de Camille, who was a general in the Royal Army before the revolution. His estates were, like many others, confiscated when his Governmentwas overthrown ; and he shortly afterwards died in London. lam happy to say, madame, that the Emperor has been pleased to restore the said estates and all belonging to them to the Baron's only surviving child, Rose de Camille " A loud shriek prevented him getting any further, and the next instant Rose, throwing off all her former reserve, and regardless of those present, rushed into Bellevue's arms, and was folded to his heart.

A person, age or sex immaterial, who does not experience a flush of pride upon being thought what he is not and may never hope to be. A man who never intimated that the economies of the universe were subject to his movements, by saying, "I knew if 1 took an umbrella it wouldn't rain," or some similar asinine remark.