CHAPTER XLIV.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 191, 12 February 1887, Page 6

CHAPTER XLIV.

"MEET ME OR I "WILL RUIN YOU." Ko one could be more amiable, popular, and helpful than the new governess of the Ainslies. Mrs Ainalie said ehe was a " per feet treasure." Anna had a pretty little voice, which her mother loved to have her exhibit at small assemblies, and Helen Hope taught her how to make the most of it in the newest eongs. In dressing fortableaux or choosing costumes for fancy dress balls, the governess showed the greatest taste and ingenuity. As her custom was, Mrs Ainslie talked freely to Helen, and Miss Hope waa soon in possession of all the facts concerning the unexpected bello of the season, Miss Haviland. The ehrewd governe?a also so ingratiated herself with Anna and Flora, that only a very little questioning was needed to induce them to lay bare their thoughts to her, and to make the rashest confidences. Mrs Ainsli6 had soon exposed to Helen hor own secret chagrin that both Lord Keith and the Marquis of Alworth were enamoured of the fair Edna. " She will certainly marry one of tkem. Of course it would bo the marquis, for if he will offer himself what girl would refuse him V A wild light of joy leaped into Helen 8 averted eyep, for if Edna married, then all thought of her love mubt pass from Norman Leigh, and to whom in the bitterness of his hear t should he turn, but to her who so loved htm ? .Almost daily she heard something of Edna's triumphs, and she took a certain pleasure in considering how tbc?o triumphs, J the homage of all about her, must gnaw the j heart of Leigh. •' It will end in his hating her ; he never J could bear the least sight or rivalry,'' said i .rielen to herself. But how was the unfortunate yo ung wif of Leigh holding herself? From Mrs Ainslio Helen could only hear that the "dear counter wa3 the happiest, most favoured, and most prudent of women." The girls, with youth's keen intuitions, and their fresh gaze unblinded by a fatal love of gold and sate, saw deeper, and from them Helen drew other information. " No, I don't believe my cousin is happy," said Anna tl She used to be the brightest, happiest little creature ; her face dimplipg all the time, and a roguish look in hor eyes ; and now it nearly makes one cry to look at her— she if so pathetic, her eyo= look ready to run over in tears." " Does her husband care for hor— doeß he neeiect her?" " 1 think he neglect? her shamefully," pouted Anna. "If I married a man who was no more devoted to me, I would break Imy heait. He scowls and u=ed a hard tone, and a he seems to tremble and shrink away." " Dee? she love anyone else, think?" " Ko, of course not, nor he either. He ie the coldest, gloomiest man. What could ! she ever see in him ?" j "Bis title," suggested Helen bitterly, i "And then, mother and father, and Lady Montreasor urged hbr endlessly to take him," added Flora. " Ono thing is sure," «?aid Anna. "I never will be persuaded into marrying \\ lthour. real love," fialen learnt to her eurpriso that Edna and Violet were ardent friends ; that KfcitLi and Violet were only ordinary acquaintances, and that Violet was* blamod by her aunt for favouring and adding a match between Keith and her favourite Edua. " I think she might look nearer home," said Anna frankly. "I should like dearly to have Flora Lady Keith. I've other viows for myself." The three younger Ainslios about this time had taken a wonderful fancy for their cousin Violet, and for making calls on her early, before the day of fashionable life had begun. They supposed this a spontaneous notion on their part, but in reality it was j craftily opened and kept up by the governess. The first morning they found Violet breakfasting in bed. Leigh had been at the House of Peers late, and elept at his club, Violet had been at a great crush at the Countess of Norfolk's, and felt singularly wearied and depressed. When she heard that her three little cousins had called, ebe had them come up. <l I fear we intrude," said Helen, quietly ; " buc they would come ; and their lives are so very quiet and dull." "Oh, Violet, what a lovely room, and what splendid rose hangings for your bed ! How pretty you look against all those lace pillows with that laced nightgown and pink ribbons ! Why, do you know that your night-dress is of the aame lace and cambric as my best frock ?" " And what a lovely silver server, and what too lovely little dishes— all Chinese, and every one different ! Ob, how charmiDg id must be to have your breakfast in bed, out of, such things !" Thus No. 2 11 We have to rise at quarter after bovod, and get only porridge and milk and buttered

bread," said the youngest of Mr* Ainslie's idols, a plump dolly, doing fine credit to this regimen. 41 I'm so glad you brought them," said Violet, turning her soft, tender eyes to Helen. " Sit down, and let them talk. They are so artleße, and I think they love me." " Love you ! Why, Violet, we love you to death !" And the three juveniles precipitated themselves on their cousin, to the joopurdy of silver and Chinese ware, and kiesod her hands aud hair and her little soft nock. Helon Hope slid into a chair close by Violet's pillow, and, pome way, in a few minutes, hud taken the tender, confidential tone of old friendship. Aided by the smiles a'iri prattling voicea of the juniors, the breakfast went b- tter. The broiled pigeon and wafer bread and tea were finished, and the children examined all the little gold spoons, and the gold-lined jugs, and their accommodating governess did not eeo when Kate filled their pockets with bon-bons. They must be anxious to come again : and, as Helen Hope coolly told hereelf, looking at their robußt growth, " it would take a deal of anything to hurt them." Again and again they came, and as soon as the children went to the conservatory with Kate for flowers, or to the housekeeper's room for unusual treats of conserves, Violotand Helen fell into conversation, and Helen discovered that Violet had a rooted antipathy to a certain Miss Ambrose, and had no idea at all that Edna Haviland had anything in common with that object of her irritation— also I she found that Violet was very unhappy, and believed herself failing in health, and wanted to die, and would not send for a physician, nor let any one know her wretched feeling?. Violet avoided her I husband's name, and would make no complaints, but in Helen's skilful hands Violet was plaptic as wax, and it did not need direct or conscious revelations to make Jielen aware of all that wretched domestic history — the coldness, the disappointment, the heartache. •' All I want," eaid Violet, "is to be out of the world, lam so lonesome— so lowspirited. I mean to keep up as long as I can, cc ro one shall know how miserable I am, and I shall wear out by degrees, And when I go back to Leigh Towers, I will just fade away in a d* cline, as my mother did finally. I shall not hold out so long. Probably I am not so strong as she was. I wish 1 could be buried by her, under the roses at Aintjlie churchyard ; but I must be buried in those fearful cold vaults at Leigh Towers. Still, it doesn't much matter " Thup Viole 4 - spoke when in the secrecy of her own room she was beguiled into confi' dential talk by the wily Helen. Perhaps this expression of her troubles relieved her, for she was of a confiding nature. When she went out, the air, excitement, her very fragility, bringing fitful flushes to her cheek and brightness to her eyes, made her look well and cheerful to the careless observer. Lady Burton and Edna saw deeper, but they did not know all— not all that was poured out to Helen, for the secret about Kenneth gave Violet a certain reticence concerning her married life, to Lady Burton, and as far as she knew, Edna was almoet a stranger to Leigh, and she could not complain. So far as she could Violet was striving to do her duty to the bitter end. Mrs Ainslie, sparing no effort to make the fiwt season of her dear girls a success, gave, among other entertainments, a fancy ball. Helen Hope was as Mrs' Ainelie's right hand in arranging costumes and decorations, though of course it never entered the good lady's bead that her governess might long to have other part in it, than thus serving. Having served, indeed, unti ] all was done, and the young ladies dreesed, Helen declared herself dying with headache, and retreating to her own room, locked heraelf in. She knew all the dresses that were to be assumed by the guests belonging to the family, and Lord Leigh was taking the congenial character of Frances the First, of France, while Kenneth Keith was to be Bayard, the spotless chevalier, Edna the Lily Maid of Astold, and Violet, Juliet v\ hen nearly all the guests were gathered, how could hostess or guests know, that a tall, elegant figure, dressed for Reade's " Yellow Masque," had not come in at the guests' entrance, but had stolen down from the upper regions of the house— wa?, in fact, the governe&s, Helen Hope ? Norman Loigh knew her well enough, as her voice fell on his ear. " Normun, I mußt, I will see you alone !" "In Heaven's name ! how came you here ?'' 41 Nev3r mind. I shall be on Fridpy night at Lady Norfolk's ' Fern Fantaaie,' and I will see you in the conservatory. Wear this on your shou'der, and meet me, or I will ruin you." She handed him a tiny box, and went away.