A MODERN CINDERELLA

New Zealand Tablet, 27 April 1911, Page 747

A MODERN CINDERELLA

•' It is really very annoying,’ said Lady Althorp, discontentedly stirring her cup of chocolate with a quick, irritable motion that reflected her ruffled feelings. ‘ I suppose it would never do to ask Eileen to give up her room?’ ‘I rather think not,’ promptly replied the person she addressed — decidedly handsome young girl, with a somewhat loud manner. Why, we’d have Dad up in arms I’

‘ It’s absurd, I must admit, this notion of Vivienne’s,' went on the first speaker, ' picking up an opened letter which lay by her plate, and rereading it. Just a fad she has taken up.’ The letter, the cause of this tempest in a teacup, ran as follows: Dear Lady Althorp, —Shall bo with von on the 18th. Can you put up Davis (my maid) in a room near my own? If so, thanks awfully! Tell you why later on. Hope all are well. Yours, etc,, Vivienne I. Charteris. i. The laconic, jerky style befitted a young lady of advanced ideals, most of whose correspondence was carried on by the medium of picture post-cards. Vivienne Charteris was to form one of the house party at Lismona, the Irish seat of Sir George Althorp, where he had elected to spend the coming half year. Sir George was an English landowner, but possessed also _ this > small estate in the South of Ireland. Hither had likewise come, very much against their will, his wife and only daughter. The exquisite natural beauty of their surroundings did not appeal to - either lady. For them, Piccadilly and the ‘ Row ’ held a charm more potent than nature in her loveliest aspect. By'way- of compensation for their enforced exile, they ha 1 planned a series of home parties. The present one promised to be a brilliant success, as, among other notabilities, it comprised a bright particular star of London society— the greatly admired and much sought after Miss Charteris, the belle of two seasons. Lady Althorp plumed herself on having secured such a catch, who would not fail to bring in her train one or two notable young men of Slavfair. ‘ What a good thing it is,’ she confided to her daughter, ‘ that Vivienne happens to have taken up a wish for country life! ’Tis only a passing idea, I know; but it serves our purpose just as well.’ Maud Althorp gave a short, incredulous laugh. She had a very shrewd suspicion as to the reality '-f Miss Charteris’ newly-developed admiration for rural life. Perhaps it will be admitted there was ample ground for such, when these facts of the case arc considered. Some four or five miles from Lismona was the fine old estate of Darramore. It was a beautiful place, cradled in a gentle hollow of the blue Galtees, with the silvery Aimer gleaming through its miles of woodland, and mighty Galteemore towering at it® back. But beautiful Darramore was lonely. Its last t wrier, Lord Glenult, had died as he had lived ,in solitary state. He had been a rather eccentric old bachelor; and his heir, a distant cousin, had not yet come to take up his abode under the ancestral roof-tree. So Darramore was left to take care of itself more or less; and Mr. Freke, the agent, was popularly supposed to be making hay while the sun shone, and filling his pockets at the expense of the absentee lord of the soil. Now, however, a change was at hand. The heir, it was reported, had decided to take up his residence on his estate. Orders had been issued, and were being carried out, to put all in readiness for his coming. Darramore ■would soon have a master. I Should it not also, in the due order of things, have a mistress? Such was the burning question addressed to herself and to the unappropriated fair ones of her flock by many an anxious mother of daughters. Such likewise was the magnet which was drawing Miss Charteris from across the sea. For, somehow or other, that much-admired young lady had so far failed to carry off a prize in the matrimonial field of competition. Younger sons and impecunious professionals by the score had worshipped at her shrine, but of these she would have none. A coronet, _ with the means to wear it with splendour as well as with grace, was the end to be encompassed. Here, now, was the means at hand — a noble estate, and an owner who, if report spoke truly, was none too well fitted for the honors that had fallen to him. The new holder of the title was, so far, an unknown quantity in the land. _ There had been, indeed, some little difficulty in tracing his whereabouts; and when he was at length found, his instructions had been imperative that his movements should be kept secret until such time as he should think well to make himself known on his new -horizon. , Naturally, conjecture was rife. Probably the new Peer, whose remote kinship had brought him to the title only by the death of several intervening links, labored under social disabilities. All the more reason, then, that he should seek a helpmate. And who more fitted for the position than the eminently capable Miss Charteris? Meanwhile the vexed question of Davis’ room had been settled. Miss Charteris, on her arrival was effusive in her thanks. - ‘ I don’t know that we’d have been able to manage it,’ Maud admitted, in their confidential evening chat, ‘ only that Eileen was so good-humored about it. She insisted on giving up her room the minute she heard mother lamenting over the matter.’ ; ' ‘Eileen?’ questioned her friend. ‘Do I know her * Oh, I don’t suppose she has come much in your way!’ returned Maud, coloring a little. _ ‘ It’s like this, yon know. Dad’s youngest sister married an Irish barrister as poor as Job— Catholic, too, by the way. They ■bothdied some years ago, Eileen was their only child. She has lived with us ever since.’ ‘A Catholic also?’

‘Yes; a thoroughgoing one. She keeps pretty much to herself, and doesn’t care to go about,’ ‘I seel’ commented Miss Charteris. . _ Yes, she could quite clearly see much more than Miss Maud had volunteered to explain. She well remembered the slender young figure, the white brow under a wealth of sunny auburn hair, the deep blue ‘lrish eyes of the girl she had once or twice noticed during At homes ’ at the Althorps. So this was'she—a modern Cinderella, doubtless. And, with a shrug, she dismissed the subject from her m ; ml. ~ The Lismona house party that month was a great success. Only one crumpled rose leaf appeared in the person of an additional guest, whom Sir George, with masculine disregard for times and places, introduced to the elect circle. ‘So unreasonable of your father!’ remarked Lady Althorp plaintively to her daughter. ‘He brings this Mr. Jeffries among us, of all’ time '.in'the year, just notv, when 1 have to be so particular! What to do with him I’m sure I don’t know.’ . . ‘ Where in the world did Dad pick him up, I wonder?’ ‘ He says he’s the son of some one he knew long ago at college, and that he’s coming down here on some business. The man may be a commercial traveller; though Dad seems to know him and to think a great deal of him. Heaven help us all!’ This dialogue occurred shortly before the arrival of the obnoxious Mr. Jeffries. He proved to be a stalwart man, of fine physique, aged about thirty or thirty-five, without being at all shy, he was rather quiet, and was promptly voted by the very smart set in which he found himself, ‘not in the swim, you know’ — which judgment, subtly conveyed to him, did not in the least trouble the young man. But what did impress him was the gentle kindness with which Eileen Darcy treated him, and the unobtrusive thoughtfulness with which she strove to cover the thinly-veiled discourtesy of the others. Those keen grey eyes of his took in the whole situation. He appraised her position in the household; and realised that she, like himself, was relegated to the ranks of outsiders. That Mr. Jeffries was not without the saving sense of humor was evident from his appreciation of Lady Althorp’s spasmodic attentions as hostess. On one of these occasions his eyes accidentally met Eileen’s, which were brimful of fun ; and the little episode seemed to form a link between them. On another occasion a chance word elicited the information that Jeffries had shot big game in the ‘Rockies’ —a fact which very greatly impressed some #»f the youths with eyeglasses, whose feats as Nimrods had been limited to bringing down a couple of moor hens at short range. ‘I had thought him a regular duffer!’ confided one of her admirers to Miss Charteris. ‘By jove, you could have knocked me into a cocked hat!’ A surprise of a different character was given to the company by this undesirable guest when, on the Saturday evening following his arrival, he asked his hostess, en plein salon, where he could find a Catholic church at which lie could attend Mass on the morrow. Lady Althorp frigidly referred him to her niece. They walked together next morning to the little village church, finding new pleasure in yet another bond of union. Thft union was destined to be lifelong; for before Max Jeffries’ visit came to an end, sweet Eileen Darcy had consented to cast in her lot with his. The wooing was not long adoing ; 'but it met with Sir George’s hearty approval, and Lady Althorp secretly congratulated herself on getting rid of Eileen. The engagement was not to be made public until her fiance had settled some business of importance on which he was engaged; so for a little while Eileen had time in which to realise the great happiness that had come into her life, and to bless the Giver of all pood gifts therefor.', , Meanwhile things were moving rapidly to a climax at Darramore. Lord Glenult was to arrive in a few days, and his coming was to be celebrated by a ball, to which the principal county families were invited. Bewildering toilettes were planned for the occasion by all the ladies of Lismona — one exceptioon. 'lt was intimated to Eileen by Lady Althorp that-she was not expected to appear at the gay scene. Various, reasons were alleged by the lady. Eileen knew them all by heart, as they were old acquaintances. Her pride forbade her to appeal to her uncle; so, ranch as she would have enjoyed the ball, she accepted the decision that debarred her from the evening’s pleasure. Wistfully, when the night came, she watched the carriages rolling off to Darramore. Poor little Cinderella! But it was a role she was by this time well accustomed to play. Quito a long time had passed since the last carriage drove away, when Eileen, sitting all alone in her little room at the top of the house, heard a sudden commotion downstairs. A clamour of voices in the hall, exclamations from the servants, the shrill barking of Lady Althorp pugs, and, above the din, a woman’s thin treble issuing directions in no uncertain tone. Eileen jumped to her feet, exclaiming: ‘What on earth can all this be about?’ She ran out on the landing, peeped over the staircase into the hall beneath, and added: 1 ‘ Why, it’s Aunt Pen! Now, what could have brought her out at so late an hour?’

)And down tho stair sped Eileen, to welcome the unexpected visitor. Aunt Penelope Pape was stepsister to Eileen’s father, and was very much older than he. So wide a gulf of years, indeed, lay between them that she had been more of a mother than a sister to the young barrister. Eileen was her godchild. It was only on her account that Aunt Pen occasionally partook of Lady Althorp’s hospitality. Both ladies entertained strong feelings of mutual dislike; but as each knew the other to be an enemy worthy of her steel, they lived on terms of armed neutrality, ‘ O Aunt Pen, what a,delightful surprise!’ cried Eileen, bestowing a warm bug on the little old lady. ‘ And how fine you ore to-night! Are you going to the ball?’ For Aunt Pen was arrayed in black satin, adorned with some old family lace and jewellery. ‘There, there, child! You’ll crush me. Of course I’m going to the ball. And so are you. Morris’ (this to Lady Althorp’s maid), ‘be good enough to bring up that box to Miss Darcy’s room. Now, Eileen my dear, run up before me!’ . ‘But, Aunt Pen, you’re surely not in earnest! What would Lady Althorp say?’ ‘Leave all that to me, my dear! And instead of talking, begin to dress. We’ve no time to lose.’ ‘But I have no dress, Aunt Pen!’ ‘I have seen to that. Morris, open that box, please!’ The dress-box was opened, and, with exclamations of rapture, the maid drew forth an exquisite toilette of soft, cloudlike chiffon. ‘ Now, my dear, don’t tell me you have no dress. Not another word! Get ready as fast as you can. Perhaps Morris will help?’ With the maid’s willing aid the toilette was arranged in an incredibly short space of time; and Eileen, a vision of girlish beauty, followed her aunt to the hall door. Here a new surprise confronted her; for, instead of the old lady’s little pony trap, there awaited them a perfectly appointed brougham, drawn by a pair of magnificent hays. ‘Get in, childget in quickly!’ commanded Aunt Pen. Eileen, half dazed, obeyed, Morris tucked the fleecy white skirts scientifically about the dainty little satin slices, the coachman whipped up the horses, and they were off. ‘Now, auntie, clear, will you please explain all this mvstery ?’ began Eileen, as soon as they were fairly started. Where has this carriage come from?’ ‘ It has come from the Darramore stables, if you must needs know,’ replied that lady. ‘Lord Glennlt was greatly distressed when lie discovered that the Lismpna house party was not complete; and your uncle was furious when he found you hadn’t appeared; so I came to the rescue. There now! Don't ask any more questions. You’re really getting on my nerves.’ As Aunt Pen had never been heard to mention ‘ nerves ’ before, always asserting that she ‘despised such tilings, Eileen felt there was something inexplicable about the whole proceeding. ‘O, Aunt Pen,’ she burst out. after a short silence, ‘do you know that I feel _ just like Cinderella to-night? You are the dear, kind fairy godmother, with her lovely gifts. Did I ever think I should have such . a dress as this? • Then this fine carriage, and the ball!’ ‘ You forget the stepmother and stepsisters,’ said Aunt Pen. ‘And what about the Prince?’ ‘The Prince?’ Eileen laughed happily. ‘Oh, the Prince is all right. He's Max. Ah, if only he were there to-night!’ ‘Well, keep on wishing, my dear! One never can tell what’s going to happen.’ And, truly, after the occurrence of this night, Eileen felt she could never call that statement in question. Here they were at —beautiful Darramore, lovelier than ever in the witchery of the moonlight. Eileen thought of the morning her uncle and Max had persuaded her to go and look over the grounds with them. The owner would only be delighted to have them do so, Sir George assured her. What a happy morning thev had spent! She remembered Max’s saying; ‘‘What if I had such a place as this to bring you to, Eileen?’ And she colored softly as she thought of her reply: ‘ I’d rather go to whatever little home you can give me, Max, than reign at Darramoro without you.’ With a well-executed curve, the carriage drew up. They had reached their destination. ' And through the open doors a flood of light poured out on the broad sweep in front of the house. In a few moments more they , found . themselves mounting a noble flight of stairs, at the head i of which a lady and gentleman, evidently the host and ji hostess, were waiting to receive them. Lord Glennlt, as ' Eileen conjectured the former to be, was at the moment speaking to some one behind him. His face was turned from them. ‘That’s Mrs. Aslilyn, a distant relative of the family,’ remarked Aunt Pen, under shelter of the gorgeous footman who preceded them. ‘ She is acting as hostess to-night.— This is my niece, Eileen,’ she continued, as, having reached the top of the stairs, she presented Eileen to the graciouslooking lady. Eileen, .a little surprised at the informality of the introduction, was still more surprised at the great cordiality •of her reception. Mrs. Ashlyn took both her hands in a warm clasp, and in tlnj kindest manner welcomed Eileen to Darramore,

‘No introduction is needed here,’ she added, with an arch smile, as Lord Glenult, turning round, faced his fair young guest. I* or an instant Eileen could only gasp as, almost doubting the evidence of her senses, she saw who stood before her. It was Max JeffriesMax, with the humorous gleam in those steadfast gray eyes of his!’ ‘Eileen!’ he said, coining forward quickly and taking her hand. ‘ Before you begin to scold me, listen for a, few minutes.’ - Mechanically she allowed him to lead her to a recess overshadowed by palms, contrived for the benefit of those who wished to sit out dances. . 0 Max,’ she exclaimed, ‘ what docs all this mean? I feel bewildered. . < My dear little girl! Well, you’ll understand everything in a tew minutes. You know there was great trouble in making out the late Lord Glenult’s heir. I was the person, living, in one of the Western States of America and having no idea that the inheritance should ever come to me. One of the first things I learned was that the estate was grievously mismanaged, and the tenantry very badly treated. I became most anxious to see for myself how far this information was correct. Your uncle a college chum of my father’s, made the matter easy 'for me. As I was quite unknown in this part of the world "'hen Sir George introduced me under my second name no one guessed my identity.’ ‘No, indeed!’ murmured Eileen, conscious what a vast difference such a knowledge would have made in his reception at Lismona. Yell, later on, your Aunt Penelope was admitted to our secret ’ fully You never told lne! ’ interrupted Eileen, reproach- ‘ Sweetheart, I wanted to present you with Darramore at its brightest. And twas so sweet to realise that it uas as plain Max Jeffries you cared for me, that I put off making myself known till the last moment. You may imagine my feelings when I found you hadn’t come to-night. But .Heaven bless your Aunt Penelope! She rose to the occasion It seems she foresaw such a thing might happen and made provision for it.’ .vv ’ ‘Ah!’ said Eileen (a long, comprehensive ‘Ah!’)- ‘I see it all now.’ ' 5 ■ •, 1 Al , uI n I know - vo ! 1 wil] , help me, dear, to set things and happy “ rramoreto make our poor people comfortable ‘Yes, Max, indeed I will, with the help of God.’ • Inr a moment they stood, with hands clasped, looking in spn-it down the bright vista of happy years opening before them. J hen Lord Glenult said: 1 . n * think we had better make our appearance in the ballroom sjow. 1 eople will be wondering what has become Mr* T A o i'i ° mC i rff ? cl / om t he I j ttle recess, and found that Ms. Ashlyn had returned to her duties as hostess. Aunt 1 enelope was seated not far away, awaiting them. She rose as they approached. ‘ 0 Aunt Pen,’ cried Eileen, taking both her hands I,as