Novelist.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2742, 8 February 1890, Page 5 (Supplement)

Novelist.

By MRS W. RATTRAY, Author of "Mr Lastyear's Visit to Auokland," "'The Mystery of Sloane CotUce," &c„ &c,, &c.

BRISTONDELL, OR AN UNLUCKY MARRIAGE.

CHAPTEB Xl.—(Continued). The next few days were very busy ones for the masters of Bristondell. There had not been much done about the place in the absence of the one, and the courtship of the other brother. Consequently the two ladies had plenty of leisure to make acquaintance with each other, and with the visitors who came from far and wide to call on them, curiosity hardly allowing them to wait for Rita's first appearance at Church.

And as the gentry round, near and far, wore fully as discriminating as the villagers, who had speedily recognised the difference between Mrs Lionel, bless her, and that illtempered, stuck-up Mrs Matthew, Miranda's envy and jealousy of Bita'a popularity, her beauty, and her sweet, winning ways increased day by day. The servants, one and all, cordially detested Miranda. The old housekeeper, after enduring the constant unmerited fault-finding, •which was the more trying, as the ticold knew nothing whatever of domestic management, reluctantly gave warning. Smithson would have done the same, but he could not make up his mind to leave a house where he had beejn a faithful retainer for over thirty years. The cook, a special of Matthew's, had departed in high dudgeon, two days after Mrs Matthew assumed the reins of government, vice her husband, -deposed. Altogether the once peaceful. happy, well-ordered establishment was in a most uncomfortable state 0- of ferment, both above and below stairs.

"I say, Matt, there's nothing much to do this morning, and tomorrow Is quartor-day, come into the library aud let's have a look through the accounts." With rather a gloomy face the younger brother went after Lionel, and tor a little while nothing could be h<?ard but the voice of the one gentleman reading out_ various items, and the other checking them off.

At length Lionel paused, and said Jα a half-apologetic manner, "I

don't want to complain, old fellow, but really, you know, we can't go on like this. Miranda's bills are something awful; the estate won't stand it." "I'm awfullyfvexed; 'pon my word, Leo, I cannot think how on earth she has contrived to run up all these," and Matthew ruefully contemplated the pile of bills from dressmakers, milliners, drapers, stationers, &c., which lay on the table. " Have you looked at the dates of a large proportion of these very unpleasant things?" asked Lionel, with a keen glance at his brother. "Well, no, I haven't. To tell the truth, Leo, I saw there would have to be a row, and I thought I would go into them with you, and we would see what she ought to be allowed to spend, and tell her that, and pitch into her for her extravagance at the same time." Poor Matthew's face grew intensely long and still more gloomy, as he thought of the tranquil time' in store for him. " Look at that date, and remember what day you were married." Matthew's ruddy cheek paled, and then flushed with annoyance. " Leo," he said in a low voice, "it was before we were married, and she must have told them to send in the accounts to me."

The brothers Briston were men possessing a most scrupulous and delicate sense of honour, and this act of Miranda's seemed to them wanting in common honesty and what a right-minded girl would have scorned to do. But she was the wife of the one, and sister-in-law of the other j they could not refuse to pay for the goods, though they had been obtained in what they considered an underhand and dishonourable manner.

I " You must speak to her, Matt," said Lionel, after a considerable silence, in which both had pored over the unwelcome bills, with everincreasing gravity and disgust. " I'll send for her now, exclaimed Matthew, hoping his brothers' presence, would exercise a wholesome restraint on Miranda's tongue. Lionel jumped up hastily. "All right," lie said, " and I'll take Rita for a ride." " I hoped .you would stay," muttered the disconsolate Matthew, feeling himself basely deserted by his brother. " I'm not going to help in a matrimonial fracas," said Lionel, with all a brave man's horror of a feminine tongue, and he left the room. The scene between the husband and wife was not a pleasant one. Matthew told Miranda pretty plainly what he thought o£ her conduct, and pitched into her reckless extravagance ; and she retorted she didn't see why that little chit, Rita, should spend just what she chose. Matthew informed her that Rita

had, fortunately, plenty of money of her own, and could therefore do what she like. " Then she'd better go and find another home," cried Miranda," she's a mean little sneak, worming herself into favour with everyone ; she shall leave Bristondell, that I vow."

" We could not possibly keep up this place without Lionel's share of the income; if any goes, it will have to be you and me, and, .is I told you before, we should be miserably poor, for I should feel I had all these confounded debts of yours to repay the estate." Miranda relieved her mind a little by abusing Lionel and Rita, until Matthew fired up, and declared that his brother's wife was a little angel, " worth a hundred of you," he finished with more truth than discretion. He repented his unlucky remark, not that day only, but on many subsequent occasions, for Miranda, being very badly endowed by nature with either tact or good taste, never lost an opportunity, whether Rita Was present or not, of twitting her husband with a sneaking affection, for the angel in petticoats, who had condescended to let Lionel bring her and her money-bags to Bristondell.

Rita bore it beautifully, having once made a passionate appe.il to Lionel to take her away, and let them live somowhere in peace. But Lionel had no idea of the misery Miranda caused the highly-strung nerves and sensitive feelings of his darling wife, and told her, with many caresses, that Matthew could not keep up the place by himself. Rents were low, the harvest had been a failure; no, he could not

withdraw any money from the place just then. "Well," said Rita, desperately, "I have got plenty, have I not? Do, dear, dear Lionel, let us give up all yours to Matthew, and go away and be happy together V "What?" cried, Lionel,, "go and live on my wife's money, and have people saying that I was nothing more than a fortune-hunter after all ? No, little woman, I could not possibly do that. Run, and put on your hat, an,d I will drive you over to old Jossley's. I want to see him on business.

Rita went slowly upstairs. Her maid was busy, sewing for Miranda, and the persecuted little wife flung herself on the sofa in her luxurious room and sobbed bitterly.

" But I will be brave," she said, as she wiped away the tears from the soft pink cheek, "' I will never complain again. But oh ! Leo can't know how that dreadful woman hurts me, or I am sure he woulti take me away. If only ho would not be so horribly proud, we

could be so very, very happy. And my wealth is really all his now."

Eita dressed herself with her usual care, and fastened a veil over her hat, to hide the traces -of her recent tears. She was still in heavy mourning, and had not therefore been out to any of the parties in the neighbourhood, given in honour of the brides.

Miranda had been secretly delighted, because she knew very well that the fresh young beauty of her sister-in-law, would speedily eclipse her, as she delicately expressed it to herself, " more mature charms."

Miranda had no maid of her own, and Rita., who paid for that luxury herself, had kindly offered the use of Susan, whenever Miranda should require her services. This little arrangement resulted in Mrs Matthew always having a maid to wait on her, and Mrs Lionel having generally to perform her own toilet.

CHAPTER Xll—Philip Kb-

visits Bristondell.

Meantime, Mr Philip Brown had been quietly waiting for Miranda's promised invitation to Bristondell. " Out of sight, out of mind," he thought, "but my dear madam that won't do with me."

Accordingly, be wrote her a very carefully worded note, telling her he should be in the neighbourhood, and asking permission to come and see her. He addressed the letter " Mrs Matthew Briston," but unfortunately he wrote a very bad hand, and when Lionel opened the letter-bag, which was always brought up from the lodge, where the postman left it, he handed the missive to Matthew with the remark ; " A billet-doux for you old fellow, don't let your wife get hold of it."

Miranda was not in the room. She had been up late the night before, and after such dissipations frequently remained in bed until nearly luncheon-time. These were happy hours for the three she thus left to their own devices, and had she known how thoroughly they took advantage of the cat's absence to play as heartily as any wellwatched mice, she would have denied herself the sleep she found so refreshing, and the idle enjoyment of the questionable novel with a glass of champagne at eleven, to recuperate her exhausted constitution, and come downstairs like an avenging Nemesis, to make these giddy young people do penance for their crimes of merry laughter, and ridiculous jokes. Matthew averred that, as to every action, there is always opposed an equal reaction, it followed that as they were" so abnormally restrained in speech and behaviour by Miranda's wet blankety presence, when that presence was withdrawn, they should be absurdly gay. "Whatever might be the explanation, Rita at least felt that without these little breaks in the continual fault-finding, sneering, and general disagreeableness of Miranda's behaviour to her, she would have been driven to some desperate remedy ; what, she hardly knew. Matthew opened Philip's letter, and read it through, with a very puzzled expression on his cheery face.

"Well, I'm blest if I can make out what the fellow means; have a look at it, Leo, and see if you can help me," and he passed the note to his brother.

"Matt," cried Rita—and this abreviation of his name was a liberty not allowed by Mrs Matthew, when she was present, at least. "Matt, I've won the Philippine." "So you have!" exclaimed he, " what shall I give you V

" Let me see," and the fair white brow was wrinkled up in anxious thought.

But before Rita had settled on a suitable present, Lionel, after attentively scanning the letter, returned it to his brother, saying consolingly : "You've got yourself into a nice little scrape; the letter is addressed to yeur wife."

A closer examination convinced Matthew that Lionel was right, and he sat very stfll, trying to hit on a good way of averting his wife's wrath, whilst Eita gleefully explained to Lionel that the Philippipine had been a give and take one, and she had handed Matthew his cup of coffee which he had thoughtlessly accepted. _ "I've got it!" cried the affectionate husband. " I'll write her a note, telling her how it happened, and enclosing an invitation for her to send Mr Brown, though whatever he wrote to her for I can't imagine."

" Who is this Mr Philip Brown, if I may ask ? " said Eita. Matthew explained, and Lionel said, " I do not remember exactly, but I'm sure there was some scandal about him a year or two ago." " I don't fancy so, or we would have heard of it," said Matthew, easily; "anyhow, he will amuse she."

"A fine for bad grammar," cried Rita, as Matthew got up and went off to write his letter.

"I should not like to think you spoke of me like that," she said, slipping her hand into Lionel's, and leaning forward for the kiss he always had for her. "Ah, but you could never be like that unfortunate woman," he said, softly, and they purred over each othor till Matthew returned, saying, " Look here, get out of this for a bit; I've sent up my apology, her note, and his invitation, and there's no knowing what the result

will be. Let us take some lunch and depart." " But," said Rita, " will that be quite right? " •'Autumn is coming on, and we may never have such another chance; go and coax the housekeeper." " But Leo, we really ought to ask Miranda if she would like to come," The'two'men looked at each other. "You're too good to live, Rita," said Matthew, "but I'll get Susan to swear she was sleeping so sweetly we did not like to disturb her, arid she shall have nay note when she wakes." "Go and get ready, darling," commanded her husband, "and Iwill talk to Smithson about a basket of provisions." The three had a most enjoyable time. They boiled a kettle, and Matthew made a bad joke whilst lie was lifting it off the fire ; which upset his gravity so much that he dropped the kettle and put out the fire in consequence. Rita made an excellent-looking salad, but tke little party niado very wry faces over it, and then she discovered she had put all the salt into it, thinking it was sugar, and salt ready mixed. But such accidents constitute the fun of an impromptu picnic, and when one of the claret bottles fell into a hole in the stream, where Matthew was placing it to cool, and, making a violent effort to recover it, he slipped, and would have gone in too, but for Lionel's quick intervention, the whole party laughed heartily, regarding such trifles as the best fun in the world.

And when they reached home, Miranda's lecture on their disgraceful want of manners in leaving her behind, effectually reduced their high spirits to the ordinary level of those of English ladies and gentlemen,

And in a few days Mr Philip Brown arrived, debonaire, and agreeable as usual. Rita was intensely disgusted at his conceit and his broad compliments, and behaved as coldly to him as she could. In one way, his coming was a boon to her, as Miranda, regarding him as her especial property, considerably monopolised him, and thus Rita found herself left to follow her own sweet will, instead of dancing attendance on her sister-in-law's caprices. "Matt," said Lionel, after Mr Brown had been domiciled at Bristondell, rather over a fortnight, "how long is that fellow«going to remain here 1" "Don't know, I'm sure. Ask her." " But do you like to see him hanging around after your wife in that fashion." " She does."

" Ever since our refusal to let him ruin us at cards, he lias taken to playing with Miranda," pursued Lionel with the air of a man who had wound himself up to the performance of a disagreeable duty, and means to.go through with it, "I am quite sure she does not get much chance of winning; now Brown is

not the sort of man, I fancy, to let her run into his debt to any considerable amount; how then, does she manage to pay him V Matthew stared at his brother in blank dismay. " I have been living in a fool's paradise," he exclaimed, bitterly. '_' What an ass I have been! I was happy because she was amused, and let me have a little peace. Leo —you have some idea—.where does she raise the dollars, for I have never given her a red cent ?" " I'm afraid Rita has been helping her; she asked me for her month's allowance four days before it was due, and lam sure she does not spend all her pocket-money on herself. Being in mourning, and not going to balls or dinners, she has really no expenses." " Then you have not asked her?" "2sfo, she's such a dear little innocent, I didn't want to suggest anything of the kind to her; I thought I would speak to you first."

"lam very much afraid she has made a tool of your sweet little wife. What is to be done T "I must ask Rita." With great difficulty Lionel drew from his wife the fact that she had helped Miranda with money, not knowing what it was for, as when the two played cards in the drawingroom, they always used counters, and Rita never dreamed thab those simple little bits of bone or ivory represented coin of the realm to them.

Miranda's demand had been based on the absoluse necessity of another ball dress for the grand county ball, coming off early in November, orders for which, and payment in advance, were required immediately by a London dressmaker. Worth was also made to figure as a pressing creditor, and Rita, hoping to purchase a cessation of the petty persecutions which made her intercourse with Miranda a decided ordeal instead of a pleasure, agreed to these requests, and readily promised she would not go with a long tale of Miranda's extravagance to either of the two gentlemen. As she and Lionel very seldom men-

tioned their unloved sister-in-law's name, this promise was easily kept, iwatil Lionel insisted on an answer to his question. " I am so sorry," sobbed Rita, terribly grieved at having vexed her husband. " I had not the least idea you would mind." " Miranda naturally vented her wrath on the innocent " betrayer of her trust," as she stagmatistjcl Rita,

and the poor girl endured the angry storm of abuse and threats of vengeance as long as she could, then when she felt flesh and blood could hold out no longer, she crept away to her own room, pursued by the irate Miranda, and making a wild rush at the door, shut and locked it in Mrs Matthew Briston's face.

Meantime, the brothers Briston had been having a quieter* but more decisive interview with Mr Philip Brown, which ended in Smithson receiving the order to tell the coachman to bring the dog-carl; to the door immediately, and drive Mr. Brown to the station, where he could catch the London train.

To avoid any scandal, Matthew perjured himself to inform Smithson for the benefit of the Bristondell; servants, and all others with whom they were intimate, that Mr Brown had been suddenly summoned away. Before : his departure, Philip requested an.interview with Miranda, which was granted on condition it took place in the presence ot Matthew, who insisted on, Lionel remaining in the room too. Brown shrugged his shoulders and consented. .

Miranda, not trusting Mr Philip Brown's discretion, was exceedingly annoyed, and promptly told .him that if she was watched and spied upon in this disgraceful manner, they had better communicate by letter. .

" In which case," retorted Matthew, "I; shall certainly insist upon seeing your correspondence." Whereupon Philip, moved by a desire to teaze the brothers who, he declared, made such a ridiculous fuss about a mere trifle, said, in an affectionate manner to Miranda :

" You know that whenever you find the goodness of this house overpowering, you can come to me."

Both brothers made a rush at him, but he burst out laughing.

" Your sense of humour is terribly deficient," he said; then, bowing to Matthew, he continued, ironically : "I would not deprive you of the inestimable blessing of owning a wife with the most truly angelic temper I ever came, across, for the world."

This time, it was tho injured lady who wanted to knock him clown, tear his hair, or display other marks of feminine affection, bufe Mr Brown beat a hasty ■ retreat through the door, jumped into the waiting dogcart, where his valise had already been placed, and from this post of vantage, took off his hat and fired a last shot: :

" Thank you all so much for your kindness ; I have had a most enjoyable visit, and, I may add, a most profitable one," and he bade the stolid coachman, " Drive on," with the air of a duke at least.

[To be continued.)