CHAPTER II.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2036, 25 July 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER 11.

A MELTINO, AND 1 PROMISE. Ay additional shade of Beverity oame over the ffior of Doctor Wall is. " I (should have imagined," ho gftid, " that even a child would have unoVnitand why; and jou are no longer a child, Alien. I h:iva hero entrusted to inycare some of the noblest yo«thn In England. I must do my duty by them, and th<- grpat duty of nil is to heop them from temptation. I have not forgotten the I>yend \)l St. Anthony ; therefore I allow no women, no t'irlfl, about my houße, so th»t thr-ro may ho no fulling in lovo, no nonsenxQ of unequal marriage. You understand, ■ AH'T? 11 Hhc looked at him with innocent, ohild-like pjpp. " Not quite, uncK No one is obliged to fall in lo\e, aro they ?" 11 We need not discuss tho Bnbjeot," said the doctor ; "it is BUilioient for you to know my resolve." " I am iwtrv to know it," said Alico, with brr girlish dignity and girlish pride all in arniß ; " for lamvi ry grateful to you, unole, and I want to prove it." He saw tiain in the beautiful blua eyes, whose sweetness years ago hod touched hia heart.

" I will go back," phe said; "I n\i\ that I came, uncle. I wanted to >^io> yo.i that I bad made Borne progress "> * Wl!1 f'° home." " There is no need for that," he sanl, hazily. 11 1— I ahould be glad to pro you for a fUy or two, but you must keep ontiroly to tbo houp» keeppr's rooms; you must Rive ma your woid of honor that you will never even cropn the passage. I shall go to Mrs. Cnnwnei'a room when I wish to see you. Do you giv» me your promiso ? " She held out her hand to him with p. bright, amused Bmile— a Hmile that mido hor look bo lovely, the doctor's heart pank within him. " I promise," she replied ; it Bocracd so very absurd to her. The doctor rang his bell, which wag answered by the houpekeeper. 11 Mrs. Chawner," he said, gravely, " this is my niaeo— Miss Derwent. She ia here for a few days that I may see what proqres she has made in her studies ; you will be very kind and attentive to her. See also that my direc tions are fully carried out— that Mi-u Derwent dors not leave your rooms." Mrs. Chawner looked withaatoni'hnirni at the beautiful girl, with her fair face, her blue eyea, and fair, waving hair. Never had Ruch an apparition been seen in that house before. She bowed low. "Areliord Vivian's things, most of them, packed?" ft»kod tho doctor. " Yrf, sir ; they are ready. Ilia lordship thought of going on Thursday. His luirpagc was to wait, he raid, until it was sent for." " Thank you," said the doctor, in hifl grave, stately fashion; and the housekeeper knew that die was diemisfcd with those words. Alice thought to hersplf, " What a beautiful name— Lord Vivian I It is like a name in a novel." She went away with Mrs. Chawner, and spent tho dullest day of her hfo in that Rood woman's room. There wrrc only two books in it— the Bible and " Sir Charles Grnndiaon." She took refuge in the latter. True, every attention was jiiid to her. Mrs. Chawner brought her a delicious little dinner, a vtry nice tea, and a nice supper ; then the doctor came and talked to her about hey studies. " It is worse than a pnson," thought Alice. She longed to know >vlmt was going on in the other part of the hon=c ; she Imaid niiißi'c, singing, the pound of voioo-«, and t»he way Ami up, an she n>aid to herself, like an early Christian martyr. The next day dawned iv tbo samo dreary fashion; but tbrro was hope coming— au incident was to happen which pioved how tho very best laid pluns of men j\ro often all in vain. No one, except Mrs Criuwner and tho servants, kr.pw that the doctor's niece had arrived. The doctor went out that day nt noon to cull upon a gentleman in the neighborhood who wished to fuo him ; Mrs. Chawner was busy preaening fruit ; and, as ill-luck would have it, Lord Vivian Caiedftl' 1 , ia doing something or other which ho nerd not have done, cut two of his tingnrs rather ceverfly ; equally, as a matter of course, there was no planter to be found. " Never mind," sr.H L^rd Vivian to one of his companions ; " I will go to tho housekeeper's room. Mrs. Chawner always koepß a store of those things." Without a thought that he was going to his fate, without dreaming of all that would onsue from that one visit, ho went and knooked at the door ; a sweet, clear, musical voice bade him enter. Wondering, full of amaze, he went in ; and in place of Mrs. Cbawner, he saw one of the most beautiful girls in tho world. Tall, graceful, and slender; a figure all Graceful curves and lines, full of symmetry ; a face perfect in its fresh, fair, girlish loveliness; bright blue oye\ like bright stars, looked up into his, and the two stood looking at each other in silence. Alioe saw a dark, handsome face, with patrician written on every feature ; a tall, well- built figure; dark, beautiful eyes; a handsome mouth, shaded by a dark moustache ; and Alice's simple, girlish heart went out in admiring awe. " I beg pardon," enid t?ie gentleman ; " I thought Mri>. Chawner was here." " I will find her," said Alice, " at onco if you wish." " No, never mind, I thank you ; " then he looked at her more earnestly. " Are you related to Mrs. Chawner ? " he asked, abruptly. " No," she replied ; " I am the doctor's nieoo." Apain the dark eyes opened wider with wondrr. " The doctor 1 I did not know that he had any relatives ; he never speaks of any." ! " No," said Alico, with simple candor, that charmed him. "We are poor relations; he is not hkely to speak of. us." " You may be poor," thought Lord Vivian, 11 but you are beautiful enough to be an empress." Alice looked at him again with some little perplexity in her face. " Would you be kind enough not to say that you have seen me ? ' she said. "My uncle forbade me to leave this parti of the house, and he would be annoyed if he knew." " I will not mention it," said Lord Vivian. He was not exactly in love with her, but he thought her tho most bewitchingly beautiful girl he had ever seen. It was only natural that, having this little confidence established betweon them, they should talk for a few minutes longer. Then Lord Vivian said, suddenly : " I must go, or some one will find me here." He had forgotten the wounded fingers. "I do not like to think, though, that I shall never see you again. Yot you are guarded like a state prisoner. Would you like to ace me again— do you care for it ? " Sweet, simple Alice t She looked for one half moment into the depths of those dark eyes, tben her own fell, and a orimson flush oovered her face. He took her hand in his. " Nay," he said, " do not fear to tell me. I feel sure that we are destined to see eaoh other again. If you will only say that you care for it, I will manage it. Do 70a care ? " The girl did not live who oould have resisted the charm of that oaressing manner, that faqoinating smile and voice. " Do you care ? " he whispered again. " Yea," she replied, Tho next moment he was gone, and she beard Mrs. Ghawner's heavy footsteps in the corridor. She had just time to turn away to bide her flushed face and trembling hands at the window. Mrs. Chawner came with a long story of the cook's negligence. Alice never heard one word ; she had gone into fairy-land ; she might suffer there, but she would never leave it again ; the world had changed for her in those few minutes. Then a messenger came to aaj that Lord Vivian wished to see the house-keeper at once— would she come to his room? Lord Vivian ! The name struok her at once —it was Lord Vivian she bad seen. Perhaps those who read have had their love in their youth, and can remember how fair and sweet that love-dream was. To Alice Derwent— Alice who had never known one hour of real enjoyment, who lived in dreams, not realities — it seemed as though she had found heaven on earth. That same evening she received a nott; long years afterwards every word of it seemed to burn in heart and br»in, yet it was only a boy 'B foolish love-letter, with less of truth, less of meaning than lies in the birds' song or the winds' whisper. It said : " I hope you will not be angry with me for writing, but I have been thinking of you ever since I law you. It must have been a kind fate that led me to you. lam leaving here in a few day* ; let me ace you onoe more. There is a beautiful walk here, called the

, Fi.i} (< ■i ' Will }tm b> iVt; ..t V-r i. V>-"»o\tv>v; i\Ct w u;m ? I shall awa.it jcu a i > lioroo nnait»d Juliet." No obj-'ouoji wna roiled when she rrlvprt permission to po out. Do net blame hot too -crcrelj ; 'he vis yoiv'H i-nd br-nutfful, «ho lovtd pleasure and haj-ipiucf, .Mie saw no liarm in Wr\v;i thi'< great bliss offei°rl to her. She epniit the happit->t hour of Jut lif° in thf gl.-n— the vory happictt; every hour hftei chat 1' id a shndnw over it. She told liim nil tbf siirplo history of lit life, the uncon}> n ninl liorrip, (ho dull, drwy pohool. Ho was moic struck by her fear -of tho doctor than Anything cl*c; he could understand and appreciate it. " You will he hippy sometimo," he said, looking into her beautiful face. "I am not very old, nor a groat philosophar, but I havo always noticed one thing— people have to be unhappy iv come part of their lives ; it is bettor to have it over while you arr> young. With a face like yourH, fortune could not be hard always. Tell me, have you really never had ono happy day ? " " No," sbe replied ; " never." " That seems hard. I should liko y>u to have that. We may not meet again just yet, but I should like you to connect mo with the happiest day of your life. I have a grand plan in my mind. If you would liko — if you would h(\vo courage— one happy day ia a great dcr.l to think of. Are you brave? " " I think so," she replied. " And you would like to have one day quite happy—to think of ever afterward? " " Indeed I should, Lord Vivian." " TJi*>n I will show you how we can have it. i nepd not leave here until Saturday, but I am (;oing on Thursday morning to avoid the great nuisance of the year — tho school fete. Tho doctor pees, his students go, his 1 HPrvantn go— l detest it. On Thursday there is a grand regatta at Fernbay. We will go if you hkc-if you are brave enough. I will show you how. Fernbay is thirty miles from here. When I say good-bye to tho doctor here, inbtead of going home, I shall, without saj ing a word to him, go to Fernbay. Then you will find everyone goes early to the fete —bo sure the doctor will not invite you— you may be equally sure that the servants will never think of you ; between the two you will be quite safe. Then, when they are all gone, go down to the station and take the train to Fernbay. I will meet you there ; we will have the grandest day you can imagine, and I will bring you back in the evening. You will reach home before they do— they do not break up till after ten ; you will be home by nine. Then the servant who admits you will think you have come home alone from tho fete ; those who return from tbe/<jt« will think that you have spent the day in the house. Are you brave enough for this, Alice?— l like Alice better than Mies Derwent." Sho f ighed deeply. It waa a terrible temptation — a whole happy, sunny day spent with this handsome man, who admired her bo greatly. No harm dono ; no witnesses to tell. It wa3 a great temptation. " I am afraid," she said, faintly. " The woman who deliberates is lost or won," laughed Lord Garsdale. " You need not feor. See, I waa bo sure yoa would content that I bought you a ticket. This takes you to Fernbay, admits you to the regatta, and brings you back. You must not say ' no,' Alice. I pledge you my word all will be well." It was the sight of the ticket that decided her. In an evil moment she yielded, and, looking up at him with a smile, said : " I will go, Lord Carsdale, if you are sure all will be well."