CHAPTER XI.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 234, 24 December 1887, Page 6

CHAPTER XI.

a foiiebodim;. B\bin t a returned to Brighton, and to Mrs Wj-gram, and to long, idling, sunny mornings at the end of the West pier in the ] society of Mr Fred Foster. Mrs Wygram ooked on this continual and ever-increas-ing intimacy with alarm which it was impossible for her to put into words. In her small way, too, she did what she could to avert the danger that .she (.00 clearly foresaw. But it was in vain that she hinted her preference for inland drives ; and she ( ould not well insist, for it was Sabina who | defrayed the cost of these amusements. And it v>.ib in vain that she tried to cultivate Sabina's interest in Mr Lindsay ; I pointing out his name in the list of the guests .it the Academy banquet ; telling her how he had been included in the toast I of the " Outsiders '' at the Aeadeiny Club dinner at CJieenwich, and that his speech in l^ply had produced the most favourable imp.cssion ; coming back again and agaiu to inconsequent praise of ihe Shannon uriwing they had hung up in their bmall ,-itting room ; and wondering it there was a possibility of his being descended from (he high-sounding " Sir David Lindsay of iho Mount, Lord Lion King at Anns." Sabina somehow seemed indifferent about Mr Lind-ay. She expressed no dissent when Mis Wygrau; insisted that he was ho clever, and nandsome, and popular, and modest, and all the rest ot it ; nay, she would e\ en admit that that was tiue, and that he wa, deserving of all good thing* ; but theie an end. And Mr-* Wygram was afraid to express any moie cleaily her w ishes — and her fears. Moreover, as time went on, .she observed a remarkable alteration m Mr Foster's manner towards Sabina ; and it came about in this way. On the morning after Sabina'fe letum fiom London, they as usual strolled out to the end of the Pier ; and there, sure enough, was the occupant of the Bath-chair, reading a pink -coloured sporting paper, and appaiently very well content uith himself. • - Ah. how do you do, Mis? Zembra?" said he. "I was thinking about you yesterday when you were in London.'' ••Indeed ?*' '■ Yes. I chanced to fall in with one of the local magnates — an ex-Mayor — who said I had met him somewhere or o'hor, I forget where, and we had a pretty long chat together. Well, amongst other things he was telling me about a fete and bazaar they mean to hold in the Pavilion 1-iardens to iaise funds for -what was it? — I think i-ome Convalescent Home attached to the Children's Hospital ; and that his wife had undertaken to get up a stall for the sale of dowers and bon-bons, and po on. But the fv-Mayore^s, it appears, is a sensible %s oman. She --ays she wants to obtain the services of an exceedingly pretty young lady, who would be able to get plenty of money for the ilowers from the young fellows about. Well, 1 told him I knew someone who answered that description, and who might possibly be induced to help." Now, this was Mr Foster's ordinary manner toward-- Sabina ; and bitterly and angiily did Mis Wygiam resent it. Why should he taik to her so coolly and indifferently.' How dared he say to her face that .she was a pretty young lady ? What kind of description was that of Sabina ? Why, he almost assumed an air of patronage, said Mrs Wygram to herself in her jealous wrath, thk whipper-snapper, who was not •worthy of ha\inrr a single look of her beautiful Sabie bestowed on him ! There was little difficulty in persuading S.tbina to give her services in aid of the ■Children's Hospital ; only she said to him :—: — '• You know, Mr Foster, that charity has been defined as A asking B to help C. "Now I want to know what A is going to do this time." "Who is A?" " You." "How am I A?" "Because you asked me to do certain things for certain other people. But what are \ou going to do yourself?" " Well," said he solemnly, "if my little .'•ooculation on the Two Thousand comes off all light you won't find me behindhand. No, no ; you'll ha* c one good customer at all event?. But what am Ito do with the flowers when I've got them ? I don't know anybody in this town hardly." " What a' <i you to do with them ? Give thorn back to me, and I will sell them over Again," said Sabina, promptly. Ib did not seem to occur to him that he might pz*esent the flowers to Sabina herself ; perhaps he thought she was too matter-of-t»ct a young woman to care for such things. However, the date fixed for the bazaar was some way off yet j and in the meantime they had got into a long spell of fine weather ; and these two saw a good deal of «ach other, in the open air and the sunlight. Their meeting of a morning ot the end of the Pier waa almost an understood arrangement ; and then in the golden afternoons they would pasa into the greensward closure of Regency Square, or go round to the Pavilion (iai-dens, now becoming beautiful with flowers and the clear-tinted young summer foliage. And not only had Sabina gob her sailor s hat, but she appeared to be much more particular about her costume than had been her wonfc in London ; she made herself very neab and trim ; and vr ore p)«tty things round her neck and at her wrists ; and was most fastidious about the dressing of her hair. Mrs Wygram ventured to make some little comment ; and the girl only looked surprised* and said *he supposed that it was idleness that made her attentive to such trifles.

} And very bright and cheerful and animated looked thoso Pavilion Gardens oh the day set apart for the f6te^ the umbrageous elm." shimmering in their freshest green ; young maidens and children in summer costume strolling: along the paths, or crossing the wide smooth lawn ; two regimental bands playing alternately ; long strings of coloured illuminations already hung up for the evening illumination ; the white tents around the enclosure busy with visitors. Sabina's stall was almost entirely given up to flowers ; and not only had she tin abundant store of sprays and buttonholes and bouquets, but also she had large masses of wall-flowers, daffodils, marshmarigolds, and the like, on the chance of the Aldermen's wives and daughters understanding the art of decorating their diningrconis. The worthy ex-Mayor and his wife, on whose behalf Sabina had undertaken the function of saleswoman, were most assiduous in bringing her customeis ; and she was not over-exacting with her prices ; some people came back. Mrs Wygram lent a helping hand. Mr Foster was there, but made no undue profession of his acquaintance ; whenever the tall, fair flowergirl was busy, he had his Bath-chair removed away under the elm-trees, and remained there, listening to the band. And now occurred the incident which seemed to Mrs Wygram (but perhaps she was unjustly jealous, owing to Janie's repeated warnings) to be the turning-point in Mr Foster's attitude toward Sabina. Tnerc came into the enclosure two young fellows who seemed to beknown to him; they went up and spoke to him and remained chatting. These were the first of Mr Foster's friends that Sabina had seen ; and she was rather pleased to find that they were not of a horsey type. No : they wore merely a couple of tall, lighc-haired,'healthy-complexioned, well-dressed English lads, whom one might associate with plenty of boating and cricket, but hardly with the turf. And presently she had a better opportunity of seeing what they were like, for Mr Fotiter brought, them along to the stall. | " Miss Zembra," said ho, "I have brought you a couple of customers ; but don't bo too ! hard on them." Good-looking lads they were, she I thought : though the j'onnger one was evidentfy \ery shy. He scarcely lifted his eyes to the beautiful, gracious flower-girl ; he selected the first little spray that came handy ; and paid for it ; and seemed rather glad to retiie. The elder and taller of tho [ two wa3 not so timid ; he appeared to be a little fastidious in his choice ; and once or twice he ventured to glance at her. I " How much did you say this rose was ?" he asked. "Two shilling*. 11 " Oh, yes, I will take that, if you please." He put his fingers in his waistcoat pocket, and took out a couple of coins. "I am afraid," he said, rather bashfully, " that you will find them rather discoloured ; but I hope you won't mind." And with that he put down two soverings on the board ; and said " Good morn- ! ing !" and raised his hat and went away. "I beg your pardon -stay a minute!" Sabina instantly called to him. He turned and came back, looking somewhat confused. Sabina wa^ not. She smiled toward? him, and said :: — * "You know I cannot give you any money back — for they never allow that at bazaars—but I will give you another rose, if you like." She picked out a white rose and handed ib to him ; her eyes were very gracious. "I'm sure it's awfully kind of you," said he, blushing furiously ; and then he managed to .stammer : " And — and, of course, it's this one I shall keep— I — I don't want the other one now." " Here is a pin if you wish to wear it," said Sabina. " Mrs Wygram. will you fasten it?" (For Mivs Wygram was outside the stall). " Thank you, very, very much," said he : but it was to Sabina he said it, not to Mrs Wygram. "Look here, Lionel," said Mr Foster, somewhat sharply, " we'd better clear out ; we're only blocking the way." And so the three friends went off, and were seen by Sabina no more that day. But by and -bye, when &he got a favourable chance, Mrs Wygram went round and inside the stall. She seemed vexed, and yet partly inclined to laugh as well. " Sabie," said she, " I don't know whether you know it ov not, bat- I do believe you are the most atrocious flirt I ever saw in my life."' " What do you mean '!" the girl said, not a little startled. " Why, the way you went on with that poor young fellow — giving him a rose — and looking all kinds of things—you've sent him away with his head quite bewildered." " Oh, don't say that !" Sabina said, but still rather wondering. " Why, don't you understand lie gave me two sovereigns fora rose? Do you imagine boys of his ago have so many sovereigns to spare - or would spend them that way if they had ?'' "He would have given you his boots and his gloves, and his watch chain after the way you looked at him !" Mrs Wygram protested. "Oh, don't say that ! I thought it was very kind of him to give me so much towards my stall ; and of course I wanted to be civil | to him. I hope I was," she added boldly. " Oh, yes, you were," Mrs Wygram retorted. " You were very civil, indeed— if that is what you call civility. I think that is what Jane calls it, too. No, she calls it kindness — she said it was only j kindness wheu you sipped some wine out of Mr Lindsays chalice, so that he might put it back among his treasures." For an instant or two she could not remember ; then a slight colour came to her face. " I did not think there was any harm," ' she said. " I suppose you don't know that you have sent Mr Foster away very angry ?'' "Mr Foster I" said Sabina, with her eyes wide — as if she wanted to know what Mr Foster had to do with her. " But it's true ; and if I am not mistaken, you won't find him back here again today !" Mrs Wygram was not mistaken. Mr Foster put in no further appearance. And it was not until the evening, when they were in the quietude of their own rooms, that Mrs Wygram said :—: — i "Well, now, Sabie, I will tell you the truth. I really don't think you know how pretty your eyes are, and you do mischief without intending it. You need not look at men in so frank a way ; you should be a little more self-conscious and watchful. Why, you fairly blinded that young fellow this morning !" 11 A. schoolboy I" said Sabina, but with her cheeks reddening a little. " I wonder you could think of such a thing t" " Sabie, why will you go on persuading yourself that you are an old woman ?" the other exclaimed. " It's all those hospitals ! You've been so accustomed to take charge of people — to be good to them, and humour them, and be a kind of mother to them — that you forget you are a young woman, with remarkably beautiful eyes. And some day or another you will break a man's heart — that will be the end." "Oh, you need not talk such nonsense," said Sabina, proudly. Now, if Mr Foster went away from the Pavilion Gardens in anger, he showed no trace of anything of the kind when they

met as usual on the Pier next morning. And ifc was from thab morning that Mrs Wygram (in her subsequent conversations with Janie) professed to date the change in his manner towards Sabina. He no longer treated her with friendly indifference, varied now and again with a little jocose raillery ; he seemed more anxious to please .her, and to win her favour. Those two Lionel lads happened to come down the Pier that morning ; and of course they stopped to speak to him, and they raised their hats to Sabina, who was standing by, and who graciously acknowledged the salutation, i In the ordinary course of affairs, Mr Foster might fairly have introduced them by name to Miss Zembra — afrer their kindness of the day before ; but he did nothing of the sort } and they had perforce to go on, rather lingeringly, as Mrs Wygram imagined. That afternoon Mr Foster sent Sabina some i flowers. Tho next morning he told her he had taken a box at the theatre for that same evening ; and that it would be very, very kind of her if she and Mrs Wygram would come and keep him company. "But a Bath-chair— in a theatre?" she said. " Oh, Georgo and I will manage," he said, confidently. "If you come along in the evening, you will find me already 'in the box — box G it is : I should be very grateful to you if you would." And it seemed to her that it would be unfriendly to refuse ; here he was in a strange town, with hardly any society ; and he was bearing his banishment so heroically. And so she and Mrs Wygram went ; and found him carefully ensconced in a largo box commanding an easy view of the stage ; and there was a little bouquet lying in readiness for each of the ladies*. The piece was a 'merry one, played by an excellent London company ; and Sabina had not been in a theatre for many a day ; and she had the natural and healthy laughter of a school-girl. He had tea and coffee brought to them between the acts ; in short, he paid them every attention that was possible ; and when they finally got home, even Mrs Wygram had to confess, not only that they had spent a most charming evening, but that Mr Foster, when he chose, could make himself very pleasant and agreeable. Whether Mrs Wygram entirely relished the change from Mr Foster's half supercilious indifference to his mood of eager and respectful amiability, may perhaps be questioned ;' but at all events it afforded her plenty of material for study and conjecture. One of its chief features was an almost continual wish on his part to be justifying himself and his ways of life in Sabina v s eyei. Hitherto he seemed to care nothing for her opinion ; ho had even jocularly told her one or two foolish love affairs. But now he wished to stand well with her, and would make excuses for himself and his pursuits, and would even recall things^she had said on former occasions that he might urge some plea of defence. " No, I am no great reader," he said, one morning, apropos of nothing at all. "It's men and women who interest me most " "Next to horses ?" Sabina suggested with a smile. " Now, that isn't fair, Miss Zembra ; but 3'ou'i c always hard on me of late, I don't know why. And I was going to tell you about my reading : if I were compelled to have only two books, I would choose Chaucer and Shakspere, and that is again just because thoy show me men and women. I don't like conundrums in literature, or wiredrawing, or fog ; life isn't long enough to be spent t finding things out — just because the fellow won't speak plain. And, then, after all, real men and women are just as interesting to me as those I find in books. When I am going about the streets here I find continual amusement and surprise and occupation." "lam very glad of that," Sabina said, in an undertone, so as not to interrupt him. " Out at the end or the Chain Pier is a splendid place," he continued. " Sometimes I go there when I have missed you here ; and you see a good deal of human nature about. Sometimes very pretty, too. Why. is there anything prettier than to see a young girl — I mean one of those spindle-shanked creatures of twelve or thirteen, with a straw hat and long hair, and big, clear eyes— is there anything j prettier than to see her pet an old lady— an old lady as ugly as the mischief, most | likely, Huffy black clothes, and glass bugles in her bonnet ; yes, and tease her too, and then put her arm round her and coax her into good humour again ? Or you'll &cc i a purple-faced old sportsman— a real Pimiaub jungle-cock — devilled kidneys for breakfast sort of fellow— kind of chap would send blue thunder through his club if his chop were underdone, or overdone, or j late by thirty seconds— you'll see him come ! waking out with a sickly- white girl in a long couch, and he'll hold the sunshade over her, or read the newspapers to her, • and be just like a nurse to her. Then the lads and boys — and sometimes old men— at the fishing. Well, I like to see them at it ; they've the true instinot, and they're very earnest about it, though I never see them get anything but a wretched little flounder or an eel. Spooners are not very interesting-" "I beg your pardon?" said she, innocently. "Lovers, I should say. Well, they're not very interesting ; they look so foolish when you chance on them. Besides, it isn't fair; they should be let alone. But I'll tell you what is very funny ; to go round the churches of a Sunday mornnig after service has begun ; and you generally find outside one or two officials— sometimes a man, sometimes a woman— and they have the most curiously indifferent air on their faces. They look at the sky, they look down the street ; they seem to say, * Well, we've done our part of the business ; we've shut him up with his audience ; he has got to get through the rest of the performance now.' " . " Buc a church is not a theatre," Sabina said, gently. " Not all of them," he said ; and, then, fearing to have got on dangerous ground, he pointed out to her that these Sunday j morning perambulations were almost a necessity in his case, as he did not like going ! inside in his Bath-chair. And so this continual association and intimacy went on ; and Sabina was very kind to him (as she was to everyone, Janie would have said) ; and there was distinctly no in difference on his part. One afternoon he was in having tea with them, . " I have a little surprise for you," he said to Sabina. '•Indeed?" " My father and mother are coming^ to London next week, and purpose running down here for a day or two. I hope you will let me introduce them to you j they would be so very much pleased." Of course, she said it was she who would be pleased ; bub Mrs Wygram was Btruck with a sudden dismay. " Do you know what he ia doing now?" she instantly wrote off to Janie. "He ia bringing his father and mother from Buckinghamshire thab Sabio may be introduced to them as His future wife. I am sure ofit ; lam sure that is what he means. Well, I have held my tongue all this while, but I cannot do so any loriger ; I must tell the girl what she is bringing on herself. Yes, this very night I will. But I wish you were here, Jame. I\m not very strong

just now ; and I am all of a tremble when I think of it. Still, what would one not do for Sabie ? And I know she is too kindhearted to take it amiss."