CHAPTER XLV.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2194, 31 July 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XLV.

A mm of pleasure is .1 man of pains. Thk next day tin 1 Hugh dined at the j Vic«»ri«». Te Viour hid srot friendlyover his "Td'j; the nighr, tetore, and had. {riven his nepliew ji pressing invitation to come. ' Let bygones be bygones, Hugh,' h© said, * after his second glass, ■winking and twinklinir hi* grey eyes; and then willing to give hLs daughter a chance, he added, ." don't you mind about Adelaide being a i>ib snappish and ill-tempered, my boy. Girl* ain't the smoothest to those they like bejit— that's my experience, and I've hud my day among them. They're jealous and a dozen other things very often that tve don't understand, and all this doesn't make them too pleasant. So come when you like. Your father was a good "brother to me, and, by Jove, I see no reason why you and I should quarrel. I'm not ono of your straight- laced parsbna, and the confounded women's gossip about here troes in at one ear and out afc the other with me.' ' They gossip about me, 1 suppose ?' said Sir Hugh, a little uneasily. • They gossip about evt ryone,' answered Bis um;le ; ' and, as I say to Nelly, youny men will be young men ; only it don't do for life, my l.id, that kind of thing. You should be thinldng of settling now, Hugh — you are getting on to thirty.' 'I've got on, you ocean, uncle,' said jBir Hugh, with a laugh. 'I am thirtyone next week ;' and then ho bid the Vicar good niurht, and -went away laughin"" to himself at the old man's parting advice. ♦So he wants to palm Addy on to me, too,' he thought ; ♦ not a bad idea of the old boy's— only it's too late.' Adelaide had quite recovered her temper the next day, and received her cousin with her sweetes t smile when he entered the drawiug-roonxat dinner time, holding out her hand to him from a low seat near the fire, where she was sitting •with Mvlly's head resting against her knees. • Well, my lovely one,' .*aid he, stroking Milly'^ golden hair after he had returned Adelaide's greeting, ' are you as prettyas ever 'r ' 1 Hush, Hugh,' said Miss Manners, ♦ don't put such nonsense into the child's head.' ' D'yo think sho need be told she's pretty:*' answered Sir Hugh, carelessly. ♦ You women know that iv your cradles, I believe. It's a lovoly face,' he added, looking intently at Milly in the flickering firelight, for the lamps were not yet lighted ; ' a lovely face, which will break some honest man's heart some day ; most 'likely when some scoundrel is breaking iher'n.' , , , . , ♦Is that tho usual way ? asked Adefo£de, almost sadly. •S» they say,' said Sir Hugh; 'but where are the rest ?' and Adelaide bit her lips as her cousin said this, and for a moment forgot all her wild resolutions. « Mrs Manners is not well to-day,' she answered, coldly, and rising from her low seat ' and I believe Miss Williams is sitting upstairs with her. Go, Milly, and tell them that Hush is come' * What a womanly woman Miss Williams is,' said Sir Hugh. ' After all it's a great charm ' t ♦How is she «o wonderfully womanly ? • Iv all her little ways. If there was a sick bed in the house, I bet a tenner little Williams would be there' "«She ought to be flattered at your very slarigiah commendation,' said Adelaide, scornfully.

1 T ain't, a swell like yon, you know, my dear, said Sir Hugh, good-temperedly ; •and, by Jo\o, but you are a gorgeous swell to-niurht, he continued, slightly touching MNs. Manneis'.s die.ss. 'You look veiy woll, Adelaide; why don't you got maided to souib rich old fool, or to some rich young fool, whichever is most to your taste ?' ' Must my husband neco^sauly bo a fool?' asked Adelaide, with suppressed bitterness. ' Most husbands are,' answered Sir Tluifh, with a laugh; and then ho added, as he .saw her darling face — 'but don't bo vexed at my chaff, child; you know I dou't meau anything ; why, you and I should bo liko brotho* and vsistor, Adelaid, considering how we were brought up, instead of sparring at each other, as we sometimes do. ' 4 You vox mo, Hugh — you vex me,' said Adelaide, with some feeling, turning away her head. ' Why, you silly girl, I mean nothing. 1 'It is not only what you say,' 4 she answered, in a low voice. 4 What is it, then ?' • What others say of you,' said Miss Manners, casting down her proud eyes ; and Sir Hugh, kicked the hassock on which Milly had been sitting impatiently away with his foot, as she spoke. 1 My dear Adelaide, you best let me alone,' he began, and they stopped short, for tho door opened, and the Vicar — with Miss Williams leaning on his arm — came iuto tho roow. •Allow me to introduce you to my young friend, Sir Hugh,' he said jocosely, leading Miss W T illiams up to the hearthrug, where the cousins were standing. • You have just come in time sir,' said Sir Hugh, shaking hands with both ; *for Adelaide and I were beginning to quarrel, as usual ; and she was looking so savage. I hope she won't poison the soup.' • There is no fear,' said Adelaide, disdainfully, 'my interest for you is not so strong ;' and the next moment she had left the room. ' I hope it will be good, at any rate,' said the Vicar, quite in earnest. ' We have got a famous little housekeeper now, Hugh, 111 this young lady ; and she assists Nelly iv everything. We had gome delicious oxtail last week — that I believe you had a hand in,' and the Vicar smiled approvingly at Miss Williams. ' Now, Mr Manners, that is too bad,' she answered, laughing ' You see, Sir Huirh, the consequence of trusting a gentleman with a secret.' 'Some can keep them, though,' answered Sir Hugh ; and then, as the Vicar left them, with a word of apology to his nephew to look after his port, Sir Hugh went on with some interest, 'And how are you ?How has the world treated you, all these long .nonth.s ?' 1 Have you heard of anything — anything of !' asked Amy in a breathless whisper. 'Of whom— of George ?' said Sir Hugh ; and then he added, 'no, no— l understood — what a fool I was. It had gone out of my mind. You moan of my namesake ? No, not a word new.' ' Did you see any of the old regiment ?' said Amy ; and her face, which had flushed deeply as she inquired after her husband, now grew pale. ' I saw Dono\an, and we talked over Captain Hugh's story. That will do for atra\ellmg name, won't it! But thcie was, as I said, nothing new. You'll be a widow by and-by though, that's certain, unless he pulls up. From Donovan's account, Captain Hugh drinks himself drunk morn, noon, and night. No man can stand that long.' ' Poor fellow !' said Amy, and she sighed. "' Poor fellow, indeed,' answered Sir Hugh, 'to ha^c a barbarous little wife who won't look at him. I always pitied Captain Hugh.' ' Hiihh, hush,' siid Amy, much agitated; and then she added, 'I've been atiaid lately. There was a gentleman, a Mr Hindmarch. George's partner, you know, and' ho told us of Miss— of Hugh's cousin's wedding, which has to l>o soon, and I was afraid he might conic to it. Do joii think he will ?' ' What, that handsome girl ? Isn't she married ? It was to .some rich old fellow, wasn't it ? I remember Georee telling me about it, but I thought it was over months ago ' llt was deferred on account of Mr Peel's sudden illness : and if Mr Hind* march's story is true, the time is not fixed yet. But lam glad you have come back. George told me 1 had to look upon you as a friend, and to trust you.' ' Don't too much,' said Sir Hugh, with a light laugh. • Don't look at me too — what shall I say ?— with those eyes of yours, or I'll be forgetting my promise to George and ' ' You should not speak thus,' said Amy, gravely and gently interrupting him. 'If not for my sake, for George's you should not.' ' That's true — for George's and yours. Here, take my hand, Amy ; I did but jest. I respect you too much to make love to you now.' •That is right,' she answerpd ; and when the dinner-bell rang they went down together, for Adelaide had not designed to return to the drawing-room, and the Vicar was impatiently waiting in the dining-room for fear the soup should get cold. ' We don't stand? on ceremony, you see, with you, Hugh, he said, as they entered the room. ' Nelly is not well enough to come downstairs, and I thought you would excuse me coming up. But where is Adelaide ?' ' Here, papa,' answered his daughter, also entering the room at the same moment. ♦ I have been up to see Mrs Manners,' she added, with a glance at her cousin ; ' she seems far from well.' 1 They're something new, these delicate attentions, eh, Adelaide,' said Sir Hugh, provokino;ly. ' I am not going to quarrel with you, Hugh,' said Miss Manners, with a sort of smile. She had been upstairs, but not to see Mrs Manners, though she had paused a moment at her bedroom door to ask how she was. She had been upstairs to take herself to task for her petulant replies, and uncontrollable feeling of anger against her cousin. • Am I in love with him ?' she thought, passionately — 'in love with this dissipated, reckless, and degraded man, that I cannot control myself under his insolence, and act the part I have set myself to play. I mean to marry him, but it isn't surely for low,' and she bit her lips, and walked restlessly up and down the room, despising herself and Sir Hugh with almost equal bitterness. She had, however, smoother! her brow and sot her lips to smile before she returned to his piesence, and the dinner passed off very pleasantly. Miss Manners answered Sir Hugh's ' chaff,' as he called it, with a gay good humour, which agreeably surprised not only the baronet, but also her father and Miss Williams. 4 Adelaide ain't such a bad girl after all,' said Sir Hugh to Amy, in the draw-ing-room after dinner. It's a pity s.he's> such a confounded temper ; if it wasn't for that a fellow might do worse.' Before he loft the Vicirage he insisted they should come and dine with him on tho following ; but Amy shrank bu;k, and bucrgeel to be ex used. 'Mis Manners won't be well enough to come,' she said. 'I will stay with her ;' and on Sir Hugh pressing her to change her mind, she shook her head. 1 Don't ask me,' she said, ' please don't ask me,'

' Very well,' replied Sir Hugh, seeing she was in earnest. * A wilful woman— you know the rest ; but you, Addy, and the Vicar will come ?' Adelaide accepted the invitation very graciously, and they parted on the best of terms ;so good that the Vicar began to hope it might be a match after all, and was exceedingly agreeable in his manner to his proposed son-in-law. ' It would bo a capital thing, wouldn't it?' he said, to the wife of his bosom, as he was preparinp to retire to rest. ' A capital thi'ig— l wonder if we could manage it ?' The next morning, however, the fates were not ptopitious to Adelaide. She came down to breakfast looking very radiant, and as soon as it was over, proposed to Amy and the children that they should all take any 'early walk along the sands. •It will freshen me up to-night,' she said, glancing complacently at the glass over the mantelpiece ; but Amy, who had some small household business to transact for Mrs Manners, could not go at once, and as Adelaide was not inclined to wait, she and the children started together. They had not been gone a quarter of an hour, when Sir Hugh walked into the Vicarage dining-room, where Amy was sitting along, writing some orders for James to take to the small town where they usually dealt, and he sat down by the fire very coolly to wait till she was finished. ' Are yon nearly dono ?' said he, after a few minutes had passed thus, in a slightly impatient tone, looking round. 'In a moment,' answered Amy; and she went into the hall to give James her order?, and then return to the room ; going np to the firepiace, by which Sir Hugh was sitting. •Come and talk to a fellow who's low,' said he, looking up, •deuced low.' 4 What is the matter?' asked Amy, kindly. •Everything,' he! answered, moodily. 1 I'm sick, body and mind, Amy. I've tasted the forbidden fruit, and it's turned sour and bitter to my palate.' 'I do not understand J r ou,' she said, looking at his white, drawn face, and bloodshot- eyes, with involuntary compassion. ' What is that you have not ? You are young, rich, and good-looking ; what more could you have ?' '■You women are unaccountable creatures,' went on Sir Hugh, without answering her, staling vaguely into the fire. ' How so ?' ' You are always wanting something — always bullying some fellow to do what he doesn't want to do. Tears, reproaches, smiles by turns. I'm sick of it all ;" and ho got up impatiently, and began walking up and down the room. 1 What would you do,' said he, at length, coming back towards the fire, 'if you were me ? What would you do, if a woman — a woman who has some claim on one, you understand, wanted you to do something which would mar your whole life — that would change your position socially ? Deuce take it, every way ! Is it love, d'ye think, of a woman to ask it ? Love to bother a fellow'slife out. Now what would you do ?' ' I would do w hat was right.' ' Right !' .said Sir Hugh, with a bitter laugh. 'Come, that's too good. Was it right of you, my lady, to lead poor Oeoigc 011, till you half broke his heart ! Right, indeed ! We need not talk about right.' 'You aic ungenerous, Sir Hugh,' replied Amy, and her eyes filled with tears. 'What's the matter ?' slid Sir Hu«h, the next minute. ' Why, you dear, silly, little woman, I haven't vexed you really, have I, with my folly ? IMonsense, nonsense, don't be .such a goose. But, the truth is I'm bothered to death. I am sick of life, and everything about it.' ' It is iiuloccd often bitter,' auswcicd Amy, w lth a sigh. 'Ay -but not so bad for yon good people. Fellows like Ueoru'e must have something pleasant to think of in the small hoius of night. No miseiable spectres come round his bedj 1 could swear, when the drink has 'vorn out, and one lies with aching head and aching heart, couuting oues misdeeds, and swearing at one's self — and maybe at some poor creature one has wronged.' ' Oh ! Sir Hugh. ' Little woman, you think my lot is a very pleasant one, don't, you? Georgo once said .something of the s'ime to me. I am young, uch, and good-looking — though, deuce take it, I don't see much good looks this morning,' and he frlane'ed at the slass. ' But for all that, Madame Amy, I'm about the most miserable fellovv upon earth.' • But how is it ?' 'I've taken to that cursnd vice of our family, for one thing— l drink to drown my cares.' ' But you can leave that off. ' 1 Can I! J It, \*,n\ so easy, my dear. I say that in the mornings ; but by-and-bye the mad longing comes on. It will do one good, one feels ; and so on, an 4 on. The next morning, of course, another wise resolution,' and Sir Hugh laughed 1111 pleasantly. ' I wibh George were here,' said Amy, wistfully ; ' he would, lam sure, influence you for good.' ' I'm fond of dear old George. But this is not an edifyinar conversation for you, young lady. We'd better drop it I think, and do the polite ; and that reminds mo of what I came for. It was to ask you to do it, like a dear girl ; and come up with Addie and her father tonight. Do, Amy, for, to tell you the truth, I'm so down I cannot stand them without you. ' You really must excuse me.' ' But why ? There's nothing serious the matter with the good woman upstairs, is there "r And I want you.' Amy hesitated. ' You are not well, Sir Hugh,' she said, gently. ' Would it not be better to ask them to elefer their visit ?' ' No, no ; I can't do that. Do you come ?' Aud half unwillingly Amy at last promised to go, for she really did not know what more to .say. And then Sir Hugh rose and tcok his leave. Uefox-e the time came, however, frlio found it was impossible for her to fulfil her promise. Mr.s Manners who, ever since poor Bonny's death had been subject to suddon spasms of the heart, was attacked in the nfternoon by one of so alarming a character th at even tho Vicar hesitated about leaving her. ' But I know in whose hands she is, my dear,' he said, quite affectionately, to Amy, ' or I certainly ahoultl not go. But poor Adelaide wonld be so disappointed, I toar ; and Hugh, I think, also ;' and the Vicar also, though he did not .«ay so — for he had been thinking of his nephew's champagne and delicious pheasants several times during the course of the morning already. So it was sottled , and Amy remained with Mrs Manners, aud the two women talk (dot George —of George the beloved, and Amy feit that she had .spent a very pleasant evening. ' Pleasanter than theiis, I dares iy,' sho reflected; but for all that she liked, aid was sorry for, Sir Huirh. ' We've h id a charminy: c\ cuing,' were Adelaide's first woids when they arrived homo, and found Amy waiting for them in the study. ' Yes,, Huerh trives a good cLnnor,' said the Vicar, with an air of quiet satisfaction. 'Bat, Amy, ray dear, how is N«Uy ': I've been uneasy about her the

whole time! Bettor— ah! that's right. Then just hand out tho whisky, like a good creature. Thoso mu.shrooms were delicious ; but I wish they may agreo with me.'