May's Wager.
" I bet you six pairs of Jouvin's best, my dear, that I bring that seorner of woman to my feet within six wee|cs! That is a fair allowance—a week for each pair of gloves I " exclaimed Miss May Meredith, as she sat chatting with a party of girls.
She was an acknowledged belle amongst them, and although the man in question, well adapted to win women's hearts that he was, was known rather to avoid the sex, or to waste upon them cynicisms or courteous sarcasms, there were none present who did not believe May Meredith had but to will and do.
None present, did I say? In a far-off corner of the luxuriously furnished room sat a young girl, busily sewing. The shell-tinted ears could not fail to catch the conversation, and although the long lashes did not lift themselves from the great brown eyes bent upon her work, a slightly contemptuous curve gathered about the well cut lips, followed by a half unconscious shrug of the pretty, rounded shoulders.
It was only Miss Harlon, Mrs Meredith's poor dependent. She was a distant relative of the family, but so distant that the relationship was lost sight of in the meagre salary allowed her for supervising the large household, and taking the part somewhat of a Cinderella for the young ladies. What mattered it that, three years before, she had sung out her young heart, from morn till eve, in the pretty country parsonage in which her dear, dead father had been rector? He had died and left her with the song unfinished on her. lips. The blow had almost killed her, but a sweet hope in her heart of another strong arm ready to protect her, and fill, as best he might, hia place, enabled her to live through it, until she learned, as she supposed, that all the world was false, and gladly, thankfully, accepted Mrs Meredith's final offer of a home, independence, however small, and only bowed the auburn-covered bead in silence, when her cousin said:
"I do not expect you in any way to presume upon the distant tie between us, but simply to fulfil the duties assigned you. Of course, having two young lady daughters, and the fact of your being in mourning and without suitable wardrobe, you will not expect to enter at air into society, or even into my own drawing room."
Which sentence, being delivered very quickly, and without, it must be confessed, doe regard to the rules of parsing, only lost its impressiyeness through Miss Harlon's entire indifference to the subject* matter it contained.
Her life was not a bard life, except in its utter loneliness, and the moments when she waged her war with memory over a wound which would not heal; but she idly wondered, sitting there, who this man was who had given rise to all this absurd speculation. " Bringing him to your feet, May is rather ambiguous, is it not?" questioned one of the party. " What do you mean by that phrase ?" \ V;.'V., "I mean that within six weeks, if I so will it, I may become Mrs, Leigh Creighton." The words were greeted with a laugh; but from the girl's hands in the corner the work had dropped, all trace of color had left the lovely face, the great brown eyes had opened wide, even dilated, with a strange frightened expression in their
Leigh C'reighton! Was it her own fancy which had imagined the words? No. They wereall busily chatting now, and his name passed from lip to lip, while they told of his attractions, his handsome face, his nameless grace, his long stay abroad, his return home, his strangely indifferent manner, until the color came into her cheeks, and her trembling hands steadied themselves while she stopped and regained possession of the fallen work.
Ah, she could thank Mrs Meredith now for forbidding her entrance into the gay world. It had never tempted her; she had never regretted it. Now she must shun it. Fortunately, the way was easy. Their two paths would never meet —his and hers. But, oh! how the old wound bled!
A week later, she sat in her own room, looking, out into the dark night, while up through the closed door came sounds of music and laughter—it was one of Mrs Meredith's ' At homes/—when suddenly the door flew open, and May, without knocking, rushed into the room.
"Excuse me, Fanny," she exclaimed, "but mamma is in such a state of excitement. Miss Adams, the soprano, had disappointed her, and she says you must come down at once and sing in her place." '
"Oh, May, I cannot! Tour mother mast excuse me."
"My dear child, you must! I should not dare carry such a message, and you know the music-room is away from the rest, and I will see that no one disturbs you. Slip on your black silk, and pin this white rose in your hair. There! she added a few momenta, later. " I shall have to keep you in the dark now, lest you eclipse us all. I really believe, Fanny, one reason mamma keeps you so in the background is because she is afraid of you!"
"Hush, May! It is my wish as well as her command."
Ob, if she dared ask if he was there ! thought Miss Harlon,. as, seating herself at the piano, she^baught a glimpse of the brilliant assemblage in the room beyond. But what mattered it? He would not see her, or, seeing, would pass her by unrecognised. She must calm herself. She was glad that all were so engrossed that only one or two saw her take her position at the instrument.
A moment later, every one turned to his neighbor in silenced amaze, as the exquisitely clear, thrilling notes thrilled through the' room. Louder and louder, and still more sweet, rose the young voice, until, looking round among her guests, Mrs Meredith congratulated herself oh Miss Adams' absence, even while determined not again to permit Miss Harlon to appear, else it would be impossible to keep her in obscurity—and she found her so useful!
But, as the song died away one man stepped from behind a curtain which had concealed him. His handsome face was very pale, and there was a look both of regret and anger in his eyes: but both gave place to a great tenderness as he stepped quietly to Miss Harlon's side. " Fay,! "he whispered. At the old nape—the name only one had ever given her—the girl grew deathly white.
" Fay!" he said again, " have you no welcome for me after all these yearsP " She opened her pale lips to answer, bnfc
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THS18801127.2.17.6
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Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3721, 27 November 1880, Page 2 (Supplement)
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1,116May's Wager. Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3721, 27 November 1880, Page 2 (Supplement)
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