CHAPTER FOURTEEN.
On the night of Peggy's arrival in London, Eunice voluntarily madeseveral remarks at the dinner-table; at breakfast next morning she tooka distinct part in the conversation, and at lunch, meeting the roll ofPeggy's eyes, she laughed aloud, nor seemed the least alarmed at theunexpected sound. Some one else was startled, however, and that was noless a person than her father himself, who stared over his spectacleswith an expression which Peggy found it difficult to understand, for itwas both grave and glad, troubled and gratified. She wondered if heapproved of this unusual liveliness on the part of his quiet daughter,but her doubts were put to rest before many hours were over. She haddressed early for the garden-party to which she was invited in theafternoon, and was wandering up and down the drawing-room, coaxing onher gloves, and examining the different pictures and photographs on thewalls, when Mr Rollo entered the room, and stood regarding herearnestly.
"I want to thank you, Miss Saville," he began at once, "for the good youhave done my daughter. You have been with us only a few hours, butalready I can trace a most happy effect. I have not seen her so brightand happy for many a long day. It has often pressed on my mind that thechild suffered for the want of a companion of her own age, but it wasdifficult to find a remedy. Now, if by chance you were one of half-a-dozen daughters, we might have borrowed you from your parents, and keptyou with us most of the year, but as it is, you are a ewe lamb, and Isuppose no possible bribe--"
"Oh no! my price is above rubies!" cried Peggy, laughing; "but, MrRollo, I shall be delighted to visit Eunice from time to time, and Iwant her to come to me in return. I think we are going to be friends; Ihope so, at least, for I have taken a desperate fancy to her, and I amrarely attracted by strangers!"
"She is a dear child, a good, unselfish child; but, alas, she has neverbeen young! She needs rousing, and I think," said Mr Rollo, smiling,"I think you are the person to rouse her! I hope that you will see agreat deal of each other in the future, in which case I shall owe astill larger debt of gratitude to your family than I do at present. Irealise my good fortune every day in having your brother's services atmy command, for he is worth all the secretaries I have had before rolledinto one."
"Ah-h!" cried Peggy, glowing with delight. "Of course! I knew he wouldbe. Whatever Arthur does, he does better than anybody else. He will bea great man yet, won't he? Oh, do say he will! It was such a terribledisappointment for me when he had to give up the Army, and my onlyconsolation has been the belief that he would distinguish himself insome other sphere. You do really believe that Arthur will be greatbefore he dies, don't you, Mr Rollo?"
The grave man smiled down very kindly into the eager, young face.
"It is not always the best men who make the greatest mark in the world,and `greatest,' as you mean it, has many drawbacks, my dear. I shouldlike to advise you not to set your heart on worldly distinctions, but Isuppose if I did, you would put me down as a prosy old fellow, who didnot practise what he preached, so I'll make you happy instead, bytelling you that I also expect great things of your brother. He is oneof the most brilliant young men of his day, and some time soon we willsend him into the House, and give him a chance there. I don't wonderyou are proud of him. I should have been proud indeed, if Providencehad seen fit to grant me such a son!"
The sigh with which the sentence ended gave a clue to the bitterestdisappointment of this man's life. It was an abiding regret that he hadno son to follow in his footsteps, and to carry on the good old name;but he never suspected that his quiet little daughter had divined hisdisappointment at her sex, and that the consciousness thereof had beenone powerful factor in damping her spirits. To know that we are adisappointment to our friends has a paralysing effect on our energies,and there are many people in the world who have failed simply from wantof encouragement and appreciation. A word of honest praise is as goodas a tonic, and it is too rarely spoken. We feel it our duty to findfault where blame is merited, but are not nearly so careful toacknowledge work well done, or to show our gratitude for serviceswillingly performed.
Mr and Mrs Rollo loved their daughter dearly, but were too muchengrossed in their different pursuits to pay her much attention, andbelieved that, being of a naturally reserved disposition, she would notvalue outward demonstrations; wherein they erred, for it is the dumb,silent folk who most appreciate warm-hearted words and actions. What amuch brighter world it would be if we were more generous in thisrespect; how happy we might make our friends, if we gave them thebenefit of our loving thoughts, instead of locking them tightly in ourown breasts!
Eunice opened like a flower beneath the sunny influence of Peggy'spresence, and drove off to the garden-party with an animation mostunusual under the circumstances. Garden-parties were, as a rule,unmitigated bores, but this one would be an exception! Peggy would bethere, and where Peggy moved fun and brightness followed in herfootsteps; and Arthur had been despatched by Mr Rollo to take his placein escorting the ladies. Eunice was persuaded that no man in the worldwas nobler than her father, but, socially speaking, he had his defects!It was a little trying to go about with a man who spent his timediscussing politics with other old gentlemen, forgetting all about thepoor, shy little daughter, who languished in a corner, shivering withcold, or grilling with heat, as the case might be, and striving, oh, sovainly I to look as if she were enjoying herself. Nor was Mrs Rollo agreat improvement on her husband, for she also was weighed down with theresponsibilities of Guilds, Causes, and Charities, and invariably founda fellow-member of committee with whom to discuss knotty problems. Thisafternoon, as Eunice sat facing her mother in the carriage, she couldsee the nervous fingers pull at the ends of the gloves, and the lipsmove in mechanical rehearsal of her next address, but the sight gave hernone of the usual forebodings, for this afternoon, at least, she neednot dread desertion. Arthur and Peggy would be her companions, andnever a word of politics or guilds need they speak, from the time theyarrived until the time they came away! Eunice rambled about thebeautiful grounds with the glee of a child escaped from school, andplayed the part of appreciative audience with an enthusiasm which couldnot fail to be inspiring to her companions.
Arthur looked into the smiling face, and listened to the low sweetlaughter with the incredulous amazement of one who has suddenly receivedhis sight after a spell of blindness. "Bat," indeed, Peggy had rightlynamed him, since he had lived for months in the same house as thisdelightful creature, and never realised her charm. When they wereresting together on a garden bench under the shade of a tree, Arthurcast surreptitious glances at Eunice, and formed a new estimate of herattractions to take the place of the old. He understood little aboutdress, but he instinctively felt that the white frock was remarkablysimple for the only child of such distinguished parents, and thesimplicity was in accord with the pale, well-cut face whose chiefcharacteristics were modesty and sweetness. A little white-gloved handlay on her lap, and, as Arthur looked at it, a swift remembrance aroseof the afternoon a few weeks back when he had seen that hand stretchedout to comfort a companion in distress. His lip twitched beneath hismoustache and his smile faded.
"Ah, well," he said to himself sadly, "we cannot all be alike; but itdoes one good to see her--dear, little, gentle thing! She'll make someone very happy some day, and he will think her beautiful, for he willsee his home in her eyes."
He went off into a day-dream of his own, a troubled day-dream, poorfellow, as his day-dreams were apt to be at this time of his life; buthis companions did not notice his adsorption, for one was listeningrapturously, while the other entertained her with imaginaryconversations supposed to take place between different members of thecrowd by which they were surrounded. That she could hear no word ofwhat was being said, was but an added stimulus to Miss Peggy's inventivegenius, and so aptly did her dialogues follow the expressions andgestures of the strangers that Eunice shook from head to foot inirrepressible enjoyment.
"Goodness, Clementina, here's that impossible Mrs Jones! I thought
wehad avoided her so successfully. _Must_ speak now, I suppose. There'sno way of dodging her. `_Dear_ Mrs Jones, how _do_ you do? Such_ages_ since we met. Is this your daughter? Grown out of knowledge!It seems but the othah day she was a little girl in short frocks. Quiteimpossible, don't you know, to associate _you_ with a grown-up daughter!Sorry to hurry on, but really--so _many_ friends!' Oh, there's LordAlgernon Fitznobody coming down that path! Don't let him pass! Waggleyour parasol, Clementina! Cough! Sneeze! Do something to make him seeus! `Don't you remember me, Lord Algernon? How quite too naughty ofyou! Mrs Ponsonby de Tomkins, whose purse you picked up in the railwaystation in Lausanne. I have heard so much of you since then, for mysister's aunt's cousin's husband is quite an intimate friend of dearLady Fitzroy--' Well, really, Clementina, he need not have rushed awayin such a hurry! He seemed very distrait. He was looking round forsomebody else all the time. Now, see, he is hurrying off to meet her._Ah-h_!"
The deep exclamation of understanding was uttered in the speaker'snatural voice, as, following the direction of the good lady's glance,Peggy suddenly divined the reason of "Lord Algernon's" pre-occupation.Rosalind Darcy was approaching, surrounded by the usual bevy ofadmirers, her parasol tilted over her shoulder, and her lips curved intoa smile of artificial sweetness. It was easy to see that heraffectation of interest in what was being said was of the thinnestpossible description and Peggy wondered what could be the reason of herill-humour, but only for a moment, for presently Rosalind's eyeswandered to the bench under the trees, and in a flash the sunshine cameback into her face.
"She was looking for Arthur! She thought he was not here!" Arthur'ssister said jealously to herself; and the next moment Rosalind washurrying towards them, leaving the discarded admirers to digest theirrebuff as best they might. Nothing could have been sweeter or morewinsome than her greeting of her friends, but Arthur responded to heradvances with a coldness which astonished his companions. They had notbeen present the night before, when Miss Darcy had found it convenientto ignore his presence, and to forget a promise given to him because amore distinguished partner had appeared on the scene. Arthur's pride inhimself was by no means of the overweening description affected by hissmall sister, but he had too much self-respect to accept a smile one dayat the expense of a snub the next, and Rosalind was given to playingfast and loose with her friends. It was true, she invariably repentedherself of her rudeness, and endeavoured to make a gracious atonement,but it was becoming more and more difficult to appease Arthur's woundeddignity, and to-day she felt an unaccustomed thrill of nervousness atthe sight of his grave, stern face.
"Arthur, come and walk wound with me!" she commanded with anunaccustomed note of timidity mingling with the imperious young voice."I want to talk to you. Those widiculous men have been boring me todistwaction, and I want to hear about Yew Hedge. Take me into the wosegarden, and tell me all about Yew Hedge."
"Peggy can do that better than I, Rosalind. I have been down only for afew hours. We will all walk round together, and Peggy can give you theinteresting details."
He stepped to Eunice Rollo's side as he spoke, and, addressing a remarkso pointedly to her that it could not be answered by another, led theway forward in the direction indicated. Rosalind could have borne therebuff more complacently if he had followed in the rear, when she couldhave played off her little airs and graces for his benefit, but tochoose another girl before herself, and then to walk on ahead, withouteven troubling himself to see if she followed--this was too much for hercomposure. Her face clouded over, and though she made a valiant effortto preserve her composure, it was in vain, and she was glad to find anoutlet for her irritation in pettish complainings.
"How I do detest garden-parties! Of all the senseless, dead-aliveentertainments they are the worst. Evewy fwesh one is worse than thelast."
"Why don't you stay away, then? The remedy is in your own hands,"retorted Peggy coolly; but at this Rosalind's ill-humour broke out inanother direction.
"Peggy Saville, I think it is vewy mean and unkind of you to wefuse tovisit me when I asked you, and then to wush up from the countwee to staywith new fwiends who have not half the claim upon you that I have. Ifyou would go to the Wollos', why not to me?"
"Because you did not ask me at the same time. A month ago it wasimpossible for me to get away, and even now I am here for three daysonly. I don't wish to appear unfriendly, Rosalind, but--"
"But you feel it," replied Rosalind, her voice changing suddenly into anote of honest pathos. "Oh yes, Mawiquita, you are no better atpwetending than you used to be, and I know quite well that you don'tappwove of me. I hate myself too, and twy to be diffewent, but it is nouse, circumstances are too stwong for me. But it's not the way to makeme better, Peggy Saville, to toss your head at me, and tweat me as if Iwere beyond all hope of reformation."
"Rosalind--oh!" Peggy was breathless with consternation. It was ahorrible accusation, and the worst of it was that conscience told herthat it was true. She stared with penitent eyes into the accusing face,nodded her head once or twice, and said with conviction:
"I'm a little wretch! Who am I, I should like to know, to judge anothergirl? Dear old Rosalind, snub me all you can, and take no notice of myairs. I'm not good enough to help you, I'm afraid, but I can't helploving you, you dear, beautiful thing, and wishing to make you happy!"
"But, oh, Peggy, I'm misewable! I'm abjectly misewable!" sighedRosalind in return. She gave a glance around, to make sure no one waswithin ear-shot, and then continued rapidly, "All my life long I've beenbwought up to look forward to this time, and to work and plan andpwepare for it. Mother talked as if it would repay me for all my pains,but I've been out thwee seasons now, and I'm tired to death of theeverlasting wound. I get so cross and irritated and weary of it all. Idon't think I have ever been so misewable in my life as duwing the lastyear!"
Peggy looked at her thoughtfully. At the moment Rosalind looked dismalenough, but recalling the occasions when she had seen her in society,Peggy could not honestly say that "wretched" was the word which bestdescribed her demeanour. On the contrary, a most well-satisfied andcomplacent young woman had she appeared, and Miss Peggy shrewdlysuspected that the present distaste was but a transient emotion.
"If you are so tired of it, why don't you go down to the country, orjoin your mother abroad?" she inquired with a stern directness which hercompanion found somewhat embarrassing.
She shrugged her shoulders and gave a little impatient laugh.
"Because I should like that _worse_! I am bored to distwaction in thecountwy, and poor dear mother would worry herself to death if I lefttown just now. She is as ambitious as ever, and will be tewwiblydisappointed if I don't make a bewilliant match before the end of theseason. She is expecting the news of my engagement by evewy letter, andis working herself up to a fever of anxiety as the time goes by--"
"And is there--is there some one in particular whom she expects you tomarry?" queried Peggy calmly. Her heart had given a throb ofnervousness at the introduction of the subject, and she hadinstinctively lifted her eyes to glance at the handsome figure a fewyards ahead, but her pride would not allow her to show her discomfiture.No one would have suspected that a personal interest lay behind thenonchalant question.
"Oh, of course there are sevewal!" admitted Rosalind naively, "but justnow there is a Special Somebody! Title, estate, family, diamonds, allcomplete, just the vewy _parti_ mother had hoped for ever since I wasborn. He has spoken to father alweady, and is going to pwopose to methe first opportunity he gets. I know it quite well. Don't you alwaysknow, Peggy, when they are twying to speak out?"
"Always!" repeated Peggy, with a little gasp of dismay. "That's toowholesale a word for me, Rosalind! The only experience of the kind Ihave had happened in India, and I was entirely unprepared, for, as amatter of fact, I cherished a profound aversion for the victim! Ididn't dislike him afterwards, though! I was so grieved for the poorfellow's distress, so grateful to him for lik
ing me so much, that I feltquite tenderly towards him. It was the most unpleasant experience Ihave ever had, and I want only one more proposal--one to which I cansay, `Yes, please!' and settle down in peace and comfort. Do you careenough for the _parti_ to be able to say, `Yes, please!' to him,Rosalind?"
"I don't dislike him. He is good-looking, and not nearly so stupid asmany of the men one meets. Sometimes I think I could get on with himreasonably well, but at other times I can't--I weally _can't_ face it!Then I keep out of his way, and am cold and weserved, and twy to put itoff a little longer. But it will come, I know it will! I shall have toface it soon, and I feel as I used to do when I was a child and had avisit to the dentist before me. I twy to forget it, and be happy, butevewy now and then the wemembwance comes back like a sudden pain, andcatches my bweath. Oh, Peggy, isn't it difficult--isn't it twying?Aren't you sowwy for me?"
"No!" said Peggy Saville stoutly. "Not a mite!" She lifted her headand looked the other squarely in the face. Her eyes were astonishinglybright, and there was a patch of colour on each cheek. "Pray, why_should_ I be sorry? If you look upon the question as a pure matter ofbusiness, I cannot see that you deserve any sympathy. I am sorry for_him_! He seems to be an extremely good bargain, and it is hard on himto be regarded in the light of a disagreeable necessity. I suppose heis devoted to you, and hopes, poor wretch! that you are going to accepthim for himself. For you _will_ accept him, Rosalind! That's certain.You may imagine that you have not made up your mind, but you have! Youcould never have the courage to give up all those good things. Whyshould you, indeed? They mean more to you than anything else. Youwould never feel any temptation to love a man who was not rich!"
Peggy spoke in crisp, stinging little sentences, her distress on herbrother's account goading her into unusual bitterness; but she wasentirely unprepared for the result of her words, stricken dumb by thesight of Rosalind's pale glance of reproach, the sudden rush of tears tothe eyes. Broken words struggled for utterance, but she could onlydistinguish, "Unjust! Untwue!" before, as Fate would have it, thecouple in front wheeled round, and came back to join them.
"I wanted to know which way you would prefer to take--" began Arthur,and then stopped short, horrified at what he beheld. Something thatPeggy had said had touched Rosalind on a tender point, for having oncebroken down, she found it impossible to control her distress, and thoughshe had lowered her parasol so as to form a shield between herself andthe passers-by, she made no attempt to hide from Arthur, but stoodgazing at him like a lovely, distressed child, with lips a-quiver, andeyes all drowned in tears. He seized her hand with an impulsivegesture, and questioned her rapidly as to the cause of her distress.His voice vibrated with tenderness, and Rosalind clutched his arm withnervous fingers, and stammered pitiful explanations.
"Peggy--oh, so cruel! So unkind! I asked her advice, and she said--shesaid--such cruel things!"
Arthur cast one glance at his sister, and then appeared unconscious ofher presence. A group of visitors was approaching, and his great desirewas to take Rosalind into some quiet corner of the grounds, where shecould have an opportunity of recovering her self-possession withoutbeing observed by curious eyes.
"Come with me!" he said gently. "Come down this path to the end of theshrubbery. If you are in trouble, can't I help you, Rosie? Won't youlet me try?"
They disappeared from sight, and Peggy walked on in the oppositedirection, her face white and set. The iron had entered into her soul,for oh, that glance--that glance of cold anger and reproach! Could itindeed have come from Arthur--Arthur, who never looked at her in angerbefore--Arthur, between whom and herself there had never hovered ashadow of a cloud in all their happy, loving lives? A stranger hadcomplained of her, and he had accepted the complaint without giving heran opportunity of justifying herself! Another girl in Peggy's positionmight have blamed Arthur in return, and regarded herself as a martyr,but that was not Peggy's way. Far harder to bear than her own smartwould have been the necessity of admitting a flaw in her idol. Her onedesire was to justify Arthur, and place him beyond the reach of blame.Before she had taken twenty steps forward, she was saying brokenly toherself:
"Yes, I deserved it! It is easy to be sharp, and say cutting things atanother person's expense. I had the chance of speaking kindly, and ofhelping her to a better decision, but I let it go, and gave her a sneerinstead. I deserved it, Arthur dear! I _did_ deserve it, but oh! youmust forgive me soon. It's like red-hot knives sticking into my heartto think that you are angry with me!"
But Arthur was not thinking about Peggy. He was standing besideRosalind at the end of the shrubbery, his eyes shining, his facebeautified by a great tenderness.
"Now, Rosie!" he cried, "now! Tell me all about it!"