CHAPTER XXVI. "YOU ARE THE HAPPIEST WOMANS IN THE WORLD."

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 187, 15 January 1887, Page 6

CHAPTER XXVI. "YOU ARE THE HAPPIEST WOMANS IN THE WORLD."

A orby, elderly man, bowed as much with «are as with age, was walking along a lane ©f the village of Leigh, when he heard the «ound of a step on the turf behind him, and turned to ccc a gracious figure in blue cambric, a wide faille hat, trimmed with grass and daisies, and carrying a little baßlcet. Recognition was mutual. " Why, Adam !" cried the girl. €C Mies' Ambrose I" faltered the old man. •'You seemed in a brown study, Adam. I bone nothing is wrong with you." "it is the old story, Miss Ambrose— "Worry for my master. You know how it was in Cornwall. I had the care of a father rather than a servant. I've watched all his life." "Yes ; I saw him the other day, Adam." "Did you, madam?" eaid Adam. eagerly. "And told him how happy I hoped he would be." Adam saw no shadow of regret on the lovely, tranquil face. Sweet peace looked out of the sunny blue eyes, framed in the wreath of golden hair. **But he is not happy, Miss Ambrose, 1' eaid Adam. " I speak out to you becauee df the old time I hoped things would go differently then, and he would find ttoeoe one to save him. But it is not my lady's fault; a sweeter, more innocent, forgiving young creature never lived, fie has gone io London alone for two days, he «aya, and to bring back her aunt and cousins to see her. But I have no ceace till I see him again. It is like old times to meet you, tripping about with your little basket of good things to eick and poor, as you did in your father's parish.'" So Lord Leigh vcaa absent ' This, then, T»aa a time when Edna might venture in hie grounds and try to meet the ronely littie "wife. If they could only meet, she trusted to their mutual youth and tastes in common to bring them together. Edna Ambrose had never met anyone who turned coldly irom her lovely face and sweet, earneat manner. That very afternoon she set out for a walk in Leigh Woods. Nearer and nearer the house she would draw—perhaps etc would find the deserted mistress of the establishment. Turning about a little wooded knoll where a cluster of beech trees cast a goodly shade, Edna saw a scarlet hammock swinging low between two tereee, and beside it sitting stiffly erect a great mastiff —one of the famous dogs of teigh ; he held himself immovable, Hko a cast-iron dog sat up in a garden in some «xcess of ill taste ; but as Edna came softly aenr he wagged his tail by way of recognition. All dogs loved Miss Ambrose. In the hammock lay a slender figure, ■dressed in white pipue trimmed with Irish point and scarlet knots of rihbon. Violet was asleep. Her long dark lashes svapt ker flushed, dimpled cheek ; the brown lings of her hair were damp with the dewa of slumber, her pretty pathetic mouth, «snrved now in a smile, now for a sighBdna,looking at her child-like beaut}, Songed to gather her to her heart and implor c her to be happy. She felt singularly d rawn to this helpless, lovely creature. Surely they could be friends, and she coald hrAp h er in her perilous, thorny way. But a cloud moved across the face of the dreaming Violet: her red lips quivered. " You don't love me," she sobbed; " you Ufcver loved me !" Edna drew back. She could not, a eti ?." • ©Mr, intrude on these unconscious revcla Sons. Then Violet's hands were held out, sb if searching for help, and she cried : '* I clare not ccc you—l love you too well, ■ay " But Edna had stepped hastily "beyond hearing those murmurs. She did not wish to know of Violet more than the girl-vrife voluntarily told her As Bhe withdrew into the wood, Kate, who had been for work, or % book, nastily returned, and her rushiap ctep roused her mistress. Miss Ambrose, feeling that Kate's p sa«nce would disturb the freedom of the interview she desired with Violet, withdraw, determined to find the little countess nexc day. But not the next day, nor for months after «l»d those two meet. During those months Edna carried in her heart a memory of the pretty young creature, tossing, and murmuring of her troubles, in her sleep. In spite of the fears of Violet, and of old Adam, Lord Leigh returned home safely, Sifter two days, bringing with him Mrs Ainslie and four of her girls, their plans for & lengthened stay on the continent having baen abandoned in fear of an opidemic in Italy. Violet had feared that vexation at her refu&al to receive Miss Ambrose might drive Norman back to his gaming-table, and "be Teceived him in the relief of her feeling" with considerable affection. "I knew you would be a model counV,'' «aid Mrs Ainslie, '-earning her joy, as Vio'at Tan to embrace Lord Leigh. Neither of them guessed that a fair f ice 5a a glory of golden hair, the hope of hearing the melodious tones of a voice that had ■fjnee spoken in love to him, of clasping a hand which voluntarily he had resigned, hud brought Lord Leigh home. The very coolXMBB of Edna, and the frankness with which afc* condemned him, were added charms in She eyes of the young peer, whose love advances had never been more coldly met by way one. The first real satisfaction of her married life came to Violet when she acted the part off hostess to her aunt and cousins, who arrived * few days before the other guests. Their abounded admiration of her splendid fcome, Mis Ainslie's awed rapture in the gal- . tory, where many generations of Lei^ha laofeed from the walls, wilod Violet from her sadness. *• But where is your portrait, Violec?" coed Mrs Ainslie; "it should be here, nwt to your husband's " "There has nob been time for that yet," wad Violet. **1t shall be done, when we are in Lontfao, next season/ eaid Lord Leigh, with a «gh for that blonde face that might have fcften next his own. Tjbe parka, the conservatories, the ancient columbarium, or dome-tower, with its hundreds of iris-plumaged doves, and •brides with choice horses, the pheasants, jptacocka, and other fancy birds, the eilvur, ami tapestries, and furniture, modern and ancient, alike enchanted the Ainslies, They spent two or three days in looking at everything and exclaiming in admiration. M VioJet," cried Anna Ainalie, "you are tits happiest woman in the world I When I Come out meat winter I shall look out for an «mL I should be perfeotly satisfied with tiftlife."

Then Kate spent hours in taking from antique pr 68998 and great carved chests, heir-looms of Leigh garments that had clad the countesses of the past. Purple, and blue, and crimson, and white Geneva velvets ; Flanders lace : Venetian gold and silver tissues ; Oriental scarfs and shawls ; fans ard jewelled combs, and lace mantillas from Spain ; robes of muslin fine as cobwebs from India ; shot and embroidered silks from China, all diffusing rare odours of sandal-wood, ambergris, and ottar of ro^es. Then there were Leigh jewels— diamonds, opals, rubies, pearls, a shivered rainbow of choice delights, heaped on the table in Violet's boudoir, while over them bent the heads of the elder Ainslie girU and their mother, and Mrs Ainslie turned now and . again to embrace her niece and said over and over : " Oh, Violet, I am so glad ; we fairly insisted on your marrying Lord Leigh." None of them thought that, possessed of such splendours, she could be otherwise than happy. "I could have bought All this for myseU," said Violet. " But not the title, and the ancestors, and the 69tatea. and the hoir-looms," said her aunt. " You are one of the first peereases in England. If I could match even one of my daughters as well as you were married, I think I should die content." " Don't marry them for anything but love," said Violet. "They will find all else wearisome. They will care no more for these trinkets than I do." "Not care for them!" cried Mabel Ainslie, a little romp. "Oh, then, Violet, do please give me this little silver man, with a basket on his back, that stands on your toilet-table." *• Certainly," said Violet, carelessly, " whatever you like." " So ? Oh, then, do give me this porcelain cup and saucer " " Mamma," interrupted Anna, " do make Mabel behave hersolf. See how she is begging. We never acted that way when we were little; we were not allowed." "No?" said Mrs Ainslie, regarding her youngest progeny, through her eyeglasses, with considerable interest. 11 1 shall ask Lord Leigh for a pony," said Mabel ; " I'll tell him Violetaays Bhe does not care for any such things. ' " If you do that, miss," eaid Anna, " I'll give you a sound whipping, whether mamma rouse herself up to it or not." MrasAinalie now turned her admiration to her eldest. " Violet, what a epirit the girl has ! what authority ! She should be over a large houpehold." Then dropping her voice : " My dear, your friend Lady Burton's son is not an earl, but he is a rare good match, an old family, great fortune, and such a fine, good young man— he would make my Anna so happy. Do, my love, ask them here, and help me make a match between them." Violet shuddered ; it had never entered her mind before what she should do if Kenneth, her one friend and refuge, married. " I cannot ask them here ; they are engaged ; they could not come. You must wait until next season." "The freedom and charm of a place like thi3 i 9 so conductive to love-making," sighed Mrs Ainslie. TDne by one the visitors gathered at Leigh Towers. Grace Fanehaw came, all eagerness to see her favourite friend, and to find that the omens of the wedding day had proved false. Tom Churchill came, Grace being hia lodestar, resolved to lay his heart and hand, and all that was his, at her feet before they left the romantic environs of the Towers. Colonel Hartington came, for the first time in years. In fact, the first time since he had quarrelled with the late Lord Leigh, Hartington accusing young Norman of cheating at billiards, and thrashing him therefor. " Hullo, Hartington, glad to see you," said Leigh, giving him his hand, on the terrace. '-Glad you accepted my invitation.''