CHAPTER XXVI. CHAPTER XXVII.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 357, 6 April 1889, Page 4

CHAPTER XXVI.

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE BALL. Those people who, without being *in the habit of constantly entertaining, arc, nevertheless, rash enough to give an occasional party will be able to sympathise with Mr Denver in the trials and sufferings he now underwent. Every post brought dozens of letters, and as time slipped away he found himself driven oufc of one room into another, and surrounded by such perpetual bustle and excitement that at length his temper — never very first-rate — broke down entirely. He had reached that age when a man enjoys his luxuries, and cannot bear to be dispossessed of them. And now he had been forced to vacate his favourite arm chair, and his favourite apartment, to see his carpets torn up, his walls disfigured, his furniture displaced, his polished floors trampled upon by thick hobnailed boots, and all for the sake of a set of strangers he did not care twopence about. Meanwhile, Lord Pushington laboured most praiseworthily, ordering and arranging every detail. He settled about the music, supper, find floor, and procured dozens of experienced men from town, who set to work on preparations for the illuminations. All day long they were engaged in digging deep holes in the ground, planting: posts, nailing, hammoring, and hanging lon^- string.* of Chinese lanterns from the boughs of the vavioua trees. The conservatories were robbed of their choiceest palms and flowers, until, after having given Lord Pushington carte blanche, Mr Denver began to wonder what the sum total of these varied extravagances would represent. But when the evening arrived, hecouldnot refrain from a pardonable feeling of elation. The vast entrance hall, with its carved oak panels, suits ot ancient armour, brass shields, and quaint warlike implements, was ablaze with light. A sweet scent of hot-house flowers pervaded every nook, proceeding from a forest of white jardenias and lilies, which reared their dainty heads

- - - - ' i~ irom amongst green .banks ot artistically arranged foliage. Upstairs, in the gaily-decorated gallery, sat musicians, murmruinglazily to each other as they tuned their respective instruments. As for the gardens, they looked as if some enchanter, with his magic wand, had been at work' in their midst. They were simply resplendent with colour, while each separate light twinkled like a gem in the darkness. Fortunately, the night was fine and still, although 1 the moon, apparently acorning to compete with so much artificial ! radiance, hid her pale face behind a bank of nebulous cloud, and sulkily refused to show it. The countless lanterns swayed to and fro, like glow-worms flitting amongst the dusky trunks of the tall trees, illumining them for a second, and then — stirred by a gentle slant of wind — casting them into shade. In one corner of the grounds a small circular pavilion had been erected, in which a set of German artists played weird music, whose subtle strains sounded like the echo of a far-off voice speaking direct to the soul. And now the door-bnocker began to rattle, the bell to jangle sharply, and the carriages to deposit their well-dressed occupants — for the" ladies at least were determined on doing honour to their host. A sipping of hot tea and coffee, a settling of skirts, a phrugging of white shoulders in hazardous straps that did duty as sleeves, and a buzzing of voices, ensued ; then the bright inspiriting bars of a popular waltz struck up, and active couples sped round the room in a state of delight, Mrs Shepperton, accompanied by her four pretty daughters, appeared at t this juncture. The first person they met was Mrs Mornington, who advanced towards them in a porfeel ecstacy of admiration. ' Isn't it beautiful T she exclaimed, rapturously. ' Just fancy, me, my dear,' addressing: herself to Mrs Shepporton, ' summoning up sufficient courage to appear all alone ; but that tiresome brother of mine unexpectedly arrived to-night, and the consequence is Bob has had to stop and talk over business matters with him.' Dulcie's face lengthened. Here was a nice conclusion to all her joyous anticipations. 'Isn't Bob coming afc all?' she asked, timidly. ' Oh, dear, yes !' returned Mrs Mornington, with a kindly look at the girl, for Dulcie was a great favourite of hers ; ' only he could not get away quite so soon. No doubt he'll appear before very long ' Dulcie fell considerably consoled by this i intelligence, though it set her to wondering if Mr Beck with had arrived in order to propound his American plans, and she wished Bob would make haste. At the same time she could not help feeling both interested and amused by all she now saw going on under her eyes. This Mas the first ball she had been at, and everything bore the charm of novelty. She did not expect to dance much, and therefore experienced but little disappointment when, one by one, her three sisters were carried off. But by degrees, as she sat there listening to the glad strains of a tuneful waltz, and watched the revolving couples, a subtle excitement began to &hine in her eyes and to steal through her veins. It never struck her how charming she looked in her fresh white frock, or that a group of officers, just arrived from Witherly, were eyeing her admiringly, and wondering among themselves who this new divinity could possibly be. Indeed, she only awoko from the brown study into which she was rapidly falling when an individual, bolder or more desperately smitten than his companions, went straight up to Mr Denver during a pause in the arrival of the guests and requested the honour of an introduction to ' that pretty little girl sitting over there in the white frock and jolly big eyes, that were so awfully fetching, don't you know ?' Mr Denver did as desired. * Miss Dulcie Shepperton — Captain Caryll,' he murmured hastily. Dulcie, on looking up, beheld a slim young man with a red face, vacuous expression, and yellow moustache, who, making a condescending inclination of the head, beamed graciously upon her and requested the pleasure of a dance. ' Have you one to spare, Miss Shepperfcon ?' he inquired ; 'or are you so howwibly engaged that a "wait// is out of the question ?' 'Oh, dear, no !' she anwered, with an ingenuousness born of extreme ignorance. 4 ] am not engaged at all. Nobody has asked me except yomself.' Captain Caryll opened his colourless eyes wide at this extremely artless and confidential confession. ' Then will you give me the next one ?—? — the next one that ever is ?' * I shall be delighted.' Once fairly rescued from her corner and from the overshadowing maternal wing, Dulcie experienced what is popularly called a success ; and after a while so many different men invited her to dance that she had more partners than she knew what to do with, and just at first she enjoyed this state of things extremely. It was so grand, finding herself a personage of importance, and not being snubbed and scolded, as she was at home. But by degrees, as the minutes slipped away, and still Bob did not make his appearance, her spirits fell almost to zero. The heart within her seemed turned to stone. Why, oh ! why, did he not come ? He»ww< know how impatiently she expected him. 'Come, Miss Shepperton,' Captain Caiyll urged, persuasively, for about the twentieth time, 'you weally must take a stwoll in the gwounds. 1 can as?auw you the illuminations are well worth seeing. ' 'I've no doubt they are,' she responded wearily ; ' but I'd rather wait and go by-and-by, thank you. 1 Turning away from the open window, near which she had been standing, she once more looked anxiously towards the doorway, with thao gnawing hearthunger and growing feeling of depression which only those who know what it' is to watch for one who does not come can wholly under stand. Suddenly every pulse throbbed with joyou3 emotion. For at that moment &he saw a tall, broad-shouldered, well-known figure enter the room. She forgot all about Captain Caryll. She left him in the most unceremonious fashion, and darted deftly through the crowd. c Oh, Bob !' she cried, breathlessly, ' what a dreadful time you've been ! The evening has more than half gone, and I began to think you were not coming at all.' He turned and looked at her in unfeigned admiration. So far, he had only seen her in a habit or in her common e very-day frocks ; but now, as she stood before him in full ball-room array, with her snowy skin, sparkling eyes, soft, curly hair, and flushed cheeks, he realised for the first time the full extent of her loveline?3. Womanlike, she was conscious of the impression produced, and. womanlike, strove to heighten it by every means in hor power. ' Well,' she asked, gaily, ' what are you looking at ?' ' 'I beg your pardon,' he stammered, blushing as only fair men can, ' I did not mean to be rude'; and you forget that I have never seen you like this before.'

'No, Bob ' — naive j — ' because I've never been lite this before. I think ' — drawing herself up with a pretty little conscious air — • that I'm rather smart. Don't you ?' ' Awfully smart ! So smart, in fact, that I feel almost afraid to ask such a grand young lady to dance with a poor detrimental like myself.' ' Now, Bob, don't be absurd. Of course you shall have a dance if you want one.' • I like the implied doubt > xpres&ed in that "if," he answered, with a laugh. 'There's a refreshing modesty about it. Come, Dulcie, let's drop the polifce, for I'm getting impatient, and settle instead which waltz is to be mine, and how many ?' 'As bad luck will have ifc, Bob, I'm engaged for the two next. You'd no idea, I suppose, that I was in such great request, or you would have managed to arrive a little sooner. ' She would not have been true to her sex had she refrained from launching that Parthian dart, for no woman likes being kept waiting, or being made to feel she is more anxious for the presence of the man she loves than he is for hers. ' Dash it all !' said Bob, * I call that beasoly hard lines, and it just comes of Uncle Beckwith's prosing.' ' Bob, if you like, I'll throw both my partners over. I don't care the least about dancing with them.' The temptation was great, but, young- as he was, ho entertained rigid ideas of honour, and he refused to avail himself of it. ' No, Dulcie, you must not do that. It's bad form ; and I should hate to think of your behaving like all these fast, flirty sort of girls, who chuck a man over as soon as look at him. Let me have Dumber thirteen waltz, and in the meanwhile,' with a tender smile, Til go and stand with the wallflowers and watch what progress you make in the noble art of flirtation.' ' Bob ! that's untair. I never flirt, and what's more, you know quite well that I don't.' And then she was carried off by an already impatient partner, and did not get the chance of speaking another word to him, except in the expressive language conveyed by the eye, until number thirteen arrived, and the musicians struck up a few preliminary bars as a warning- to intending dancers to seek their promised partnei's in secluded corners and remote nooks. But at the very moment when, after long waiting, Bob was advancing to claim her, who should rush across the room but Mr Denver. ' Come along, Miss Dulcie,' he called out, in a loud, excited voice, ' I've done duty all the evening until I'm sick of the very word, and consider myself fairly entitled to some reward ; I've just told the men to play an extra supper-dance ; so let's take a turn together,' seizing hold of her right hand as he spoke, and nolens vohns dragging her to her feet. * I can't,' she said, angrily l'esenting both his manner and his mode of address. ' I'm engaged to somebody else.' ' Pooh ! Nonsense ! Who's the individual ? Is it impossible for him to wait V She hesitated a moment, before saying reluctantly : £ I've promised to dance with Mr Mornington, and he'h been waiting ever so long as it is.' ' Bah ! First come, first served,' trying to put his arm round her waist and to begin dancingr. ' I can't break my word,' she said, fiercely. ' And what's more, I won't. I'm engage to Bob, and I would not dance with a king if he were to as>k me. Please go away. ' • Perfect rubbish !' interrupted Mrs Sbepperton. vGo and dance with Mr Denver immediately, miss, or,' she whispered significantly, 'I shall take precious good care not to let you speak a single word to Bob Mornington. If you choose to be civil to Mr Denver you may dance with Bob afterwards ; but if not, you don't leave my side again this evening. So there ! Make up your mind, and be quick about it.' Poor Dulcie, what could she do under these circumstances ? She cast a despairing look at Bob, as if asking his forgiveness, and with a swelling heart and tearful eyes walked off with the enemy, leaving Bob the picture of disgusted indignation, for no time had been granted in which to offer a single word of explanation. She had so looked forward to this evening, and it had been productive of nothing but disappointments, each one harder to bear than the other ; and now this was the climax. Bob was angry with her, and she herself was utterly miserable. She shrank from the contact of MiDenver's encircling arm as she would have recoiled from the proximity of a poisonous reptile. In fact, he inspired a very similar feeling. Nevertheless, she had to endure this hateful dance, though her misery was increased by the consciousness of Bob's eyes being fixed upon her with a sneering, contemptuous expression, such as she had never seen in them before, while his face wore a look that frightened her, and sent a chill of fear through her veins. It seemed to say he despised her for resembling the very girls he had so recently abused — that she was a heartless coquette, and cared only for riches. The music sounded harsh and discordant in her ears. She longed for it to stop, and the glare, the lights, and the noise seemed to bewilder her senses. Meanwhile Mr Denver danced tast and furiously. He took long jerky steps that tore her down one side of the room, then up the other, bumping and cannoning against evory person who came in his way, with a fine disregard for she painful elbowthrusts received by his gasping partner. At last he came to a halt, and giving her arm an affectionate squeeze, said : ' Isn't it jolly, Miss Dulcie, you and I dancing together? By Jove ! you are a rare good stepper, and got ovei the ground firstrate. What do you say to having another turn, just to show some of these conceited young couples the way how to dance properly ?' All power of resistance seemed to desert her. And now the torture began over again; the prodding, the thrusting, the racing, until Dulcie thought she must sink into the earth from shame and fatigue. But at last — though the dance seemed perfectly interminable — it came to an end, and, to her in tense relief, Mr Denver had too many duties to perform to propose an expedition into, the garden. Therefore he took her stjraiq-ht back to her seat, and left hur, declaring his presence was necessary in the supper-room among the dowagers. A few minutes later the opening notes of ' Love's Young Dream ' resounded throughout the balj-room, where Dulcie waited with growing impatience for Bob %o come and claim her.