CHAPTER XLIV
At breakfast on the following morning Arthur, as he had anticipated,met the Bellamys. Sir John came down first, arrayed in true Englishfashion, in a tourist suit of grey, and presently Lady Bellamyfollowed. As she entered, dressed in trailing white, and walked slowlyup the long table, every eye was turned upon her, for she was one ofthose women who attract attention as surely and unconsciously as amagnet attracts iron. Arthur, looking with the rest, thought that hehad never seen a stranger, or at the same time a more imposing-looking, woman. Time had not yet touched her beauty or impaired hervigorous constitution, and at forty she was still at the zenith of hercharms. The dark hair, that threw out glinting lights of copper whenthe sun struck it, still curled in its clustering ringlets and showedno line of grey, while the mysterious, heavy-lidded eyes and the corallips were as full of rich life and beauty as they had been when sheand Hilda von Holtzhausen first met at Rewtham House.
On her face, too, was the same expression of quiet power, of conscioussuperiority and calm command, that had always distinguished it. Arthurtried to think what it reminded him of, and remembered that the samelook was to be seen upon the stone features of some of the Egyptianstatues in Mildred's museum.
"How splendid Lady Bellamy looks!" he said, almost unconsciously, tohis neighbour.
Sir John did not answer; and Arthur, glancing up to learn the reason,saw that he also was watching the approach of his wife, and that hisface was contorted with a sudden spasm of intense malice and hatred,whilst his little, pig-like eyes glittered threateningly. He had noteven heard the remark. Arthur would have liked to whistle; he hadsurprised a secret.
"How do you do, Mr. Heigham? I hope that you are not bruised afteryour tumble yesterday. Good morning, John."
Arthur rose and shook hands.
"I never was more surprised in my life," he said, "than when I saw youand Sir John at the top of the street there. May I ask what broughtyou to Madeira?"
"Health, sir, health," answered the little man. "Cough, catarrh,influenza, and all that's damn----ah! infernal!"
"My husband, Mr. Heigham," struck in Lady Bellamy, in her full, richtones, "had a severe threatening of chest disease, and the doctorrecommended a trip to some warmer climate. Unfortunately, however, hisbusiness arrangements will not permit of a long stay. We only stophere three weeks at most."
"I am sorry to hear that you are not well, Sir John."
"Oh! it is nothing very much," answered Lady Bellamy for him; "only herequires care. What a lovely garden this is--is it not? By the way, Iforgot to inquire after the ladies who shared your tumble. I hope thatthey were none the worse. I was much struck with one of them, the verypretty person with the brown hair, whom you pulled out of the gutter."
"Oh, Mrs. Carr. Yes, she is pretty."
After breakfast, Arthur volunteered to take Lady Bellamy round thegarden, with the ulterior object of extracting some more informationabout Angela. It must be remembered that he had no cause to mistrustthat lady, nor had he any knowledge of the events which had recentlyhappened in the neighbourhood of the Abbey House. He was thereforeperfectly frank with her.
"I suppose that you have heard of my engagement, Lady Bellamy?"
"Oh, yes, Mr. Heigham; it is quite a subject of conversation in theRoxham neighbourhood. Angela Caresfoot is a sweet and very beautifulgirl, and I congratulate you much."
"You know, then, of its conditions?"
"Yes, I heard of them, and thought them ridiculous. Indeed I tried, atAngela's suggestion, to do you a good turn with Philip Caresfoot, andget him to modify them; but he would not. He is a curious man, Philip,and, when he once gets a thing into his head, it is beyond the powerof most people to drive it out again. I suppose that you are spendingyour year of probation here?"
"Well, yes--I am trying to get through the time in that way; but it isslow work."
"I thought you seemed pretty happy yesterday," she answered, smiling.
Arthur blushed.
"Oh! yes, I may appear to be. But tell me all about Angela."
"I have really very little to tell. She seems to be living as usual,and looks well. Her friend Mr. Fraser has come back. But I must begoing in; I have promised to go out walking with Sir John. _Aurevoir_, Mr. Heigham."
Left to himself, Arthur remembered that he also had an appointment tokeep--namely, to meet Mildred by the Cathedral steps, and go with herto choose some Madeira jewellery, an undertaking which she did notfeel competent to carry out without his assistance.
When he reached the Cathedral, he found her rather cross at havingbeen kept waiting for ten minutes.
"It is very rude of you," she said; "but I suppose that you were sotaken up with the conversation of your friends that you forgot thetime. By the way, who are they? anybody you have told me about?"
In the pauses of selecting the jewellery, Arthur told her all he knewabout the Bellamys, and of their connection with the neighbourhood ofthe Abbey House. The story caused Mildred to open her brown eyes andlook thoughtful. Just as they came out of the shop, who should theyrun into but the Bellamys themselves, chaffering for Madeira work witha woman in the street. Arthur stopped and spoke to them, and thenintroduced Mrs. Carr, who, after a little conversation, asked them upto lunch.
After this Mildred and Lady Bellamy met a good deal. The two womeninterested each other.
One night, when the Bellamys had been about ten days in Madeira, theconversation took a personal turn. Sir John and Arthur were sittingover their wine (they were dining with Mrs. Carr), Agatha Terry wasfast asleep on a sofa, so that Lady Bellamy and Mildred, seated uponlounging-chairs, by a table with a light on it, placed by an openwindow, were practically alone.
"Oh, by the way, Lady Bellamy," said Mildred, after a pause, "Ibelieve that you are acquainted with the young lady to whom Mr.Heigham is engaged?" She had meant to say, "to be married," but thewords stuck in her throat.
"Oh, yes, I know her well."
"I am so glad. I am quite curious to hear what she is like; one cannever put much faith in lovers' raptures, you know."
"Do you mean in person or in character?"
"Both."
"Well, Angela Caresfoot is as lovely a woman as ever I saw, with anoble figure, well-set head, and magnificent eyes and hair."
Mildred turned a little pale and bit her lips.
"As to her character, I can hardly describe it. She lives in anatmosphere of her own, an atmosphere that I cannot reach, or, at anyrate, cannot breathe. But if you can imagine a woman whose mind isenriched with learning as profound as that of the first classicalscholars of the day, and tinged with an originality all her own; awoman whose faith is as steady as that star, and whose love is deep asthe sea and as definite as its tides; who lives to higher ends thanthose we strive for; whose whole life, indeed, gives one the idea thatit is the shadow--imperfect, perhaps, but still the shadow--of animmortal light: then you will get some idea of Angela Caresfoot. Sheis a woman intellectually, physically, and spiritually immeasurablyabove the man on whom she has set her affections."
"That cannot be," said Mildred, softly, "like draws to like; she musthave found something in him, some better part, some affinity of whichyou know nothing."
After this she fell into silence. Presently Lady Bellamy raised hereyes, just now filled up with the great pupils, and fixed them onMildred.
"You are thinking," she said, slowly, "that Angela Caresfoot is aformidable rival."
Mildred started.
"How can you pretend to read my thoughts?"
She laughed a little.
"I am an adept at the art. Don't be down-hearted. I should not besurprised if, after all, the engagement between Mr. Heigham and AngelaCaresfoot should come to nothing. Of course, I speak in perfectconfidence."
"Of course."
"Well, the marriage is not altogether agreeable to the father, whowould prefer another and more suitable match. But, unfortunately,there is no way of shaking the young lady's de
termination."
"Indeed."
"But I think that, with assistance, a way might be found."
Their eyes met, and this time Mildred took up the parable.
"Should I be wrong, Lady Bellamy, if I supposed that you have not cometo Madeira solely for pleasure?"
"A wise person always tries to combine business and pleasure."
"And in this case the business combined is in connection with Mr.Heigham's engagement?"
"Exactly."
"And supposing that I were to tell him this?"
"Had I not known that you would on no account tell Mr. Heigham, Ishould not have told you."
"And how do you know that?"
"I will answer your question by another. Did you ever yet know awoman, who loved a man, willingly help him to the arms of a rival,unless indeed she was forced to it?" she added, with something like asigh.
Mildred Carr's snowy bosom heaved tumultuously, and the rose-leaf huefaded from her cheeks.
"You mean that I am in love with Arthur Heigham. On what do you basethat belief?"
"On a base as broad as the pyramids of which you were talking atdinner. Public report, not nearly so misleading a guide as peoplethink, your face, your voice, your eyes, all betray you. Why do youalways try to get near him to touch him?--answer me that. I have seenyou do it three times this evening. Once you handed him a book inorder to touch his hand beneath it; but there is no need to enumeratewhat you doubtless very well remember. No nice woman, Mrs. Carr, everlikes to continually touch a man unless she loves him. You are alwayslistening for his voice and step, you are listening for them now. Youreyes follow his face as a dog does his master's--when you speak tohim, your voice is a caress in itself. Shall I go on?"
"I think that it is unnecessary. Whether you be right or not, I willgive you the credit of being a close observer."
"To observe with me is at once a task and an amusement, and the habitis one that leads me to accurate conclusions, as I think you willadmit. The conclusion I have come to in your case is that you do notwish to see Arthur Heigham married to another woman. I spoke just nowof assistance----"
"I have none to give, I will give none. How could I look him in theface?"
"You are strangely scrupulous for a woman in your position."
"I have always tried to behave like an honourable woman, Lady Bellamy,and I do not feel inclined to do otherwise now."
"Perhaps you will think differently when it comes to the point. But inthe meanwhile remember, that people who will not help themselves,cannot expect to be helped."
"Once and for all, Lady Bellamy, understand me. I fight for my ownhand with the weapons which Nature and fortune have given me, and bymyself I will stand or fall. I will join in no schemes to separateArthur from this woman. If I cannot win him for myself by myself, Iwill at any rate lose him fairly. I will respect what you have toldme, but I will do no more."
Lady Bellamy smiled as she answered--
"I really admire your courage. It is quite quixotic. Hush, here comethe gentlemen."