CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.
When the vicarage was reached a reconnoitre round the garden discoveredthe murmur of voices in the schoolroom, and marshalled by Arthur thethree visitors crept silently forward until they were close upon thewindow, when Eunice hung modestly in the rear, while her companionsflattened their faces against the panes. A shriek of dismay soundedfrom within, as Mellicent dropped a work-basket on the floor and buriedher face in her hands, under the conviction that the house was besiegedby wild Indians, and the advance party close upon her. A smaller shriekechoed from the further end of the room where Esther stood, being pinnedup in a calico lining by the hands of the local dressmaker, and thesmallest shriek of all came from the region of the sewing-machine, whereMrs Asplin let the treadle work up and down by itself, and clasped herheart instead of the seam. Esther fled precipitately behind a screen,Mellicent flopped on a chair, and Mrs Asplin cried loudly:
"Go away, go away. Come in, dear boy! Is it really you? What in theworld do you mean by startling us like this?"
"I've told you before, Arthur Saville, that it drives me crazy whenpeople come suddenly glaring in through the window! You'll kill mesome, day, or turn me into a jibbering idiot, and _then_ you'll besorry! Front doors are made to come in by, 'specially--especially whenvisitors are with you!" cried Mellicent severely, and at this MrsAsplin turned towards Eunice with her sunny, welcoming smile.
"You are Miss Rollo, aren't you, dear? This bad boy had no business tobring you in here, but I've heard of you so often from Mellicent thatyou don't seem like a stranger. We are hard at work preparing for thewedding, so you must excuse the muddle. We are delighted to see you!"
"Oh, Eunice won't mind. She has heard so much about you too, mater,that she would have been quite disappointed to have found you sitting inthe drawing-room like any ordinary, commonplace person. Sorry Istartled you! I wouldn't make you jibber for the world, Chubby, so I'llknock next time, to let you know I'm coming. But where's the bride?Where's the bride? Is she coming out from behind that screen, or have Ito go and fetch her?"
At that Esther came forth quickly enough, a blue jacket fastened overthe calico lining, and her cheeks aglow with blushes, for here was adouble embarrassment--to face Arthur's banter for the first time sinceher engagement, and to be introduced to the great Miss Rollo in adressing-jacket! "The great Miss Rollo," however, turned out to be asimple-looking girl, who looked much more afraid of her companions thanher companions were of her, while when she came face to face with Arthurhe seemed suddenly sobered, and uttered his congratulations in quite aquiet, earnest voice. Was this Esther? he was asking himself--thisrosy, smiling girl the sober, long-visaged Esther who had seemed so farremoved from youthful romance? Love was indeed a mighty force, if itcould bring about such a change as this--the right sort of love--that isto say, unselfish, ennobling, a love which has no thought for itself,but lives in the happiness of another. As Arthur looked at his oldfriend, and noted the softening of eye and lip, the new sweetness ofexpression, there rose before his imagination another face, which formany years had seemed to him the most beautiful in the world, but whichnow appeared suddenly hard and loveless. He never realised the fact forhimself, but it was really in this moment of meeting with Esther in theflush of her happiness that the last link was snapped in the chain whichhad bound him to Rosalind Darcy.
The dream seemed to him to have lasted quite a long time, but in realitythe pause was but of a moment's duration, and had been abundantly filledby Mellicent, who having spied Arthur's parcel was consumed withcuriosity to discover its contents.
"What's in the box?" she cried with the directness for which she wascelebrated, and Arthur picked up his parcel, and balanced it in hishands with a roguish glance in the bride's direction.
"Something for Esther, for the bottom drawer."
"The bottom drawer! What _are_ you talking about?"
"Every engaged young woman has a bottom drawer! It's part of theperformance, and you can't be properly engaged without it. It's thebottom drawer of the wardrobe generally, and all sorts of things live init--everything and anything that she can lay hands on, to put aside forthe new house. Fancy work, pictures, pottery, Christmas presents, andbazaar gleanings--in they go, and when she has friends to tea they sitin rows on the floor, and she undoes the wrapping, and they groan withenvy, and cry, `How sweet! How perfectly sweet! Won't it look sweet inthe drawing-room!'"
"You seem to know a great deal about it!"
"I do! I've heard about it scores of times, and of course I knew thatEsther would have a bottom drawer like the rest."
"You were mistaken then! Esther has nothing of the sort. I am to beengaged such a short time, Arthur, that I have had no leisure to thinkof such things. In any case, I don't think it is much in my line."
"Well, you needn't be so superior! If you haven't got a bottom drawer,you have the next thing to it. Who went over the house the very day shecame home, grabbing all the things that belonged to her, and taking themup to her room?" cried Mellicent the irrepressible. "Who took thelittle blue jug off my mantelpiece? Who took the brass candlestick fromthe hall? Who took the pictures from the schoolroom? Who took thetoilet-cover that she said I might have, and left me with nothing buttwo horrid mats? You _did_, you know you did, and it is not a bit ofuse giving yourself airs!"
Evidently not. Esther hung her head, and admitted the impeachment.Well, she _had_ thought that it would be nice to have her own things--it_did_ seem wise to collect them at once, before she grew too busy! Itwas very, very kind of Arthur, and she was truly grateful. Should sheopen the parcel now?
"Of course you must! Your first present! It is quite an event, andjust what I should have expected, that it should come from Arthur. Dearlad, always so thoughtful!" murmured Mrs Asplin fondly. "Open it onthe table, and we will sit round and watch. Come, Miss Rollo, sit byme. Perhaps you are in the secret already, and know what it is?"
"No, we don't know. We inquired, but he wouldn't tell us anything aboutit."
"But it's probably salt-cellars! Men have so little imagination. Theyalways take refuge in salt-cellars!"
This from Peggy, while Esther looked polite and murmured:
"Most useful, I'm sure. Nothing more so!" and Mellicent grimacedvigorously.
"Uninteresting, I call it! Now joolery is far nicer. I wish it werejoolery, but I'm afraid it's too big. Open it, do! Cut the string, anddon't fumble all day at one knot! The professor will buy you some more,if you ask him nicely."
"Mellicent!" cried Esther deeply; but she cut the string as desired,laid back the wrappings, and took up a small tissue paper parcel.
"Just a small trifle. Something useful for the bottom drawer!" murmuredArthur modestly, and the next moment the parcel fell on the table with acrash, while every one shrieked in chorus. Something had gone off witha bang, something fell out of its wrappings and clattered wood againstwood. A mouse-trap! A little, penny mouse-trap of plainest, commonestdescription! They could hardly believe their eyes--could do nothing butexclaim, gasp, and upbraid at one and the same moment.
"You _said_ it was a wedding present!"
"I never did. It was you who said that. I said `something useful forthe bottom drawer.' I hope, dear Esther, that you may find it very,very useful."
"You mean creature! I hope it may be nothing of the kind; I might haveknown it was a trick. Now, what is in the other parcels? because ifthere are any more Jack-in-the-box springs, I prefer not to open them.One shock of that kind is quite enough."
But Arthur vowed that not another spring was to be found, and, thusreassured, Esther opened in turns a spice-box, a nutmeg-grater, a box ofmatches, a flour dredger, and a bundle of clothes-pegs.
Each object was greeted with a fresh peal of laughter from theonlookers, who, having recovered from the first disappointment,thoroughly enjoyed the joke played upon the sober Esther, while Estherherself tried hard to be superior and scathing, and Peggy's bright eyes
roamed round in search of a final development.
It was not like Arthur, she told herself, to disappoint a friend even infun, and she felt convinced that the joke would not end as it had begun.One by one she picked up the scattered articles and examined themgingerly. The mouse-trap was guiltless of bait, the spice-box empty aswhen it left the shop, but the matchbox felt strangely heavy. She shookit, and felt something tilt forward, peeped inside, and spied a smallmorocco box.
"Joolery! Joolery!" shrieked Mellicent loudly. "It is--I said it was!Oh, the darling--sweety--pet! I wish--I wish I were going to bemarried!"
It was the daintiest little diamond brooch that was ever seen. A goldbar with a cluster of stones in the centre; handsome, yet unobtrusive;brilliant, yet modest; the very thing to suit at once the bride's quiettaste, and the sphere into which she was going. She was unaffectedlycharmed, holding it out to the light to admire the stones, her own eyesalmost as bright as themselves.
"Oh, Arthur dear, and I called you mean! It was just like you to choosea ridiculous way of giving this lovely present. Fancy me with a diamondbrooch--I shall feel so grand. How can I ever thank you enough?"
Mrs Asplin dropped a tear on the shabby table-cloth, for she never_could_ resist a tear when she was very happy, and Mellicent wailedsadly:
"I wish I were married! I wish I were married! It would suit me farbetter than her. I wish I had been engaged first, after all, becausenow every one will give Esther a present as a compliment to the family,and when it comes to my turn they will think they have done their duty,and send nothing at all, or only some horrid, niggly little thing like abread-fork or crumb-scoop! I just know how it will be--"
"But you won't need presents, dear. You are going to marry amillionaire, and live in the lap of luxury ever after. You settled thatyears ago," said Peggy slyly; but Arthur smiled reassuringly in thetroubled face, and said:
"Never mind, Chubby, you shall have exactly the same present from me, atany rate! Diamond brooch, mouse-trap, clothes-pegs, all complete. I'llstand by you. Just drop me a line when it's settled, and I will lookafter them at once."
"Oh, thank you, Arthur--I will!" agreed Mellicent with a fervour whichevoked a peal of laughter from her companions. Esther gathered togetherher possessions and ran off to her own room to put on her dress, andMrs Asplin escorted her visitors to the drawing-room, where tea wasserved for their refreshment. Another woman might have apologised forthe shabby dress which she had donned for a hard day's work, and feltuncomfortable at having been discovered in such guise by a young ladyaccustomed to move in the highest circle of London society, but that wasnot Mrs Asplin's way. She seated herself in the sunniest seat that theroom afforded, and picked off the odd ends of thread which werescattered over her skirt with smiling unconcern, too much engrossed inthinking of her guests to have any care for her own appearance. Shemade Eunice sit beside her, and seeing that the girl looked shy, chattedaway to her in friendly Irish fashion, so as to put her at her ease.Her face lightened as she did so, for she was thinking to herself: "Butshe is charming! A dear, little tender face that might be quitebeautiful some day. The child is half alive, but if some one woke herup--I wonder now if Arthur--" She turned suddenly, and met Arthur's eyesfixed upon her, intent and questioning, as if for some reason he waskeenly interested in her impressions of Eunice Rollo. Was itimagination, or did he flush beneath her questioning glance? For onemoment she felt sure that he did, but the next it seemed as if she musthave been mistaken, for he was addressing her with all his wonted self-possession.
"Mater, I've been telling these girls that I'm going to get up a picnicnext week. I want to arrange some sort of a jollification before Esthergoes, and a picnic seems the best thing to try for in this weather.Professor Reid will be here, so he will take care of Esther, and I'llget the two Darcys to join, and hire a chaperon for the occasion. Itwould be too tiring for you or my mother, for I want to fly to pasturenew and go some little distance; but if I speak nicely to little MrsBryce, she'll come like a shot, and be an addition to the party, for sheis a dear little soul, and younger than many people of half her age.You'll trust the girls to me, won't you, if I can fix it up?"
"Of course I will! It will be a pleasant break in the midst of ourpreparations. Where do you think of going? Have you made any plans, oris it still in the air?"
Arthur nodded his head in complacent fashion. "Now I'll tell you allabout it! I have been making inquiries for the last few days, and havepretty well made out my programme. This picnic is to be given inEsther's honour, and for once I am going to be extravagant, and hire asaloon carriage to take us in state to the place where we would be. Youlive in the country, and woods and dales are no novelty to you, so weare going to be adventurous this time, and go to the sea!"
"The sea!" echoed Mrs Asplin in dismay; but her quiet voice was drownedby the chorus of exclamations in which the girls gave vent to theirdelight. To people who live in inland places the very idea of visitingthe sea brings with it a sense of exhilaration, and the expectation ofArthur's picnic was trebled at once by the sound of that magic name.They questioned eagerly, even Eunice putting in her query with the rest,and Arthur smilingly unfolded his scheme.
A two hours' journey would take them within five miles of an East Coastvillage, where some years before he had discovered an ideal spot for apicnic. This was no less than a tiny island lying out some distancefrom the shore--a charming little islet, its shores washed by the waves,its crest covered with grass, and shadowed by a tuft of trees. Therewere a few good boats to be obtained, and the fishermen would help Roband himself to row the party across, while, once arrived on the island,what could be more delightful than to sit on the sand with the wavessplashing up to their very feet, to drink in the fresh sea breeze, andenjoy their luncheon under the shade of the trees? They would have toleave early, as it might grow chilly in such an exposed place, but asthe last train left the station at seven o'clock, they would have notemptation to prolong their stay.
The chorus of delight grew louder than ever as he spoke, and MrsAsplin's feeble objections were scarcely allowed a hearing. The girlslaughed her to scorn when she tried to prove the superiority of placesin the neighbourhood, and even Arthur paid less than his usual deferenceto her opinion, though he did check himself in the midst of anexplanation to ask what objections she had to offer to his plan.
"I--I--Oh, none at all, only it is so far-off, and I'm nervous aboutyou, dears! If you were late getting back--"
"But we can't be late! The train settles that question. If that is theonly fear you have, you may put your mind at rest at once, dear. Thetrain settles that business for us."
Arthur turned aside, as if the last word had been spoken on the subject;but Peggy suspected a deeper meaning to Mrs Asplin's words, and hungback on her way to the gate, to link her arm in that of her kind friend,and beg for an explanation.
"Oh, Peg, it's the sea, the cruel sea!" cried Mrs Asplin then. "I havesuch a terror of the water since my boy was drowned! It's over tenyears ago now, but it's as fresh with me as if it had been justyesterday. My bonnie boy! You never saw him, Peg, but he was my first,and even Rex himself was never quite the same. It's foolish of me, andsinful into the bargain, for you are in God's keeping, wherever you maygo, and it would be selfish to spoil your enjoyment. I will try toovercome my fear, but, Peggy dear, you know what good reason I have fordreading suspense just now--and as you love me, don't let them miss thattrain! If you were late, if you didn't appear at the right time, Ishould be terrified, and imagine all sorts of horrors. I--I don't knowwhat would happen to me! Let nothing, _nothing_ make you late.Remember me, Peg, in the midst of your pleasuring!"
"Mater, I will!" cried Peggy solemnly. She looked in the sweet, wornface, and her heart beat quickly. A hundred resolutions had she made inher life, and alas! had also broken, but this time it would go hardlywith her if she neglected her vow to her second mother.