CLARIDGE'S
_Monday afternoon._
At half-past eleven this morning Lady Merrenden came, and the room was allfull of flowers that Robert had sent, bunches and bunches of violets andgardenias. She kissed me, and held me tight for a moment, and we did notspeak. Then she said, in a voice that trembled a little:
"Robert is so very dear to me--almost my own child--that I want him to behappy; and you, too, Evangeline--I may call you that, may not I?"
I squeezed her hand.
"You are the echo of my youth, when I, too, knew the wild spring-time oflove. So, dear, I need not tell you that you may count upon my doing whatI can for you both."
Then we talked and talked.
"I must admit," she said at last, "that I was prejudiced in your favor foryour dear father's sake, but in any case my opinion of Robert's judgmentis so high, I would have been prepared to find you charming, even withoutthat. He has the rarest qualities, he is the truest, most untarnishedsoul in this world.
"I don't say," she went on, "that he is not just as the other young men ofhis age and class; he is no Galahad, as no one can be with truth who ishuman and lives in the world. And I dare say kind friends will tell youstories of actresses and other diversions, but I who know him tell you,you have won the best and greatest darling in London."
"Oh, I am sure of it," I said. "I don't know why he loves me so much, hehas seen me so little; but it began from the very first minute, I think,with both of us. He is such a nice shape."
She laughed. Then she asked me if she was right in supposing all these_contretemps_ we had had were the doing of Lady Ver. "You need not answer,dear," she said. "I know Ianthe. She is in love with Robert herself; shecan't help it; she means no harm, but she often gets these attacks, andthey pass off. I think she is devoted to Sir Charles, really."
"Yes," I said.
"It is a queer world we live in, child," she continued, "and true love andsuitability of character are such a rare combination, but from what I canjudge, you and Robert possess them."
"Oh, how dear of you to say so!" I exclaimed.
"You don't think I _must_ be bad, then, because of my coloring?"
"What a ridiculous idea, you sweet child!" she laughed. "Who has told youthat!"
"Oh, Mrs. Carruthers always said so--and--and the old gentlemen, and--evenMr. Carruthers hinted I probably had some odd qualities. But you do thinkI shall be able to be fairly good--don't you?"
She was amused, I could see, but I was serious.
"I think you probably might have been a little wicked if you had married aman like Mr. Carruthers," she said, smiling, "but with Robert I am sureyou will be good. He will never leave you a moment, and he will love youso much you won't have time for anything else."
"Oh, that is what I shall like--being loved," I said.
"I think all women like that," she sighed. "We could all of us be good ifthe person we love went on being demonstrative. It is the cold,matter-of-fact devotion that kills love, and makes one want to lookelsewhere to find it again."
Then we talked of possibilities about the duke. I told her I knew his_toquade_, and she, of course, was fully acquainted with mamma's history.
"I must tell you, dear, I fear he will be difficult," she said. "He is astrangely prejudiced person, and obstinate to a degree, and he worshipsRobert, as we all do."
I would not ask her if the duke had taken a dislike to me, because I_knew_ he had.
"I asked you to meet him on Saturday on purpose," she continued. "I feltsure your charm would impress him, as it had done me, and as it did myhusband, but I wonder now if it would have been better to wait. He saidafter you were gone that you were much too beautiful for the peace of anyfamily, and he pitied Mr. Carruthers if he married you. I don't mean tohurt you, child; I am only telling you everything, so that we may consulthow best to act."
"Yes, I know," I said, and I squeezed her hand again; she does not put outclaws like Lady Ver.
"How did he know anything about Mr. Carruthers"--I asked--"or me, oranything?" She looked ashamed.
"One can never tell how he hears things. He was intensely interested tomeet you, and seemed to be acquainted with more of the affair than I am. Ialmost fear he must obtain his information from the servants."
"Oh, does not that show the housemaid in him? Poor fellow!" I said. "Hecan't help it, then, any more than I could help crying yesterday beforeRobert in the park. Of course we would neither of us have done thesethings if it were not for the _tache_ in our backgrounds, only,fortunately for me, mine wasn't a housemaid, and was one generationfarther back, so I would not be likely to have any of those tricks."
She leaned back in her chair and laughed. "You quaint, quaint child,Evangeline," she said.
Just then it was twelve o'clock, and Robert came in.
Oh, talk of hearts beating! If mine is going to go on jumping like thisevery time Robert enters a room, I shall get a disease in it in less thana year.
He looked too intensely attractive. He was not in London clothes; justserge things, and a guard's tie, and his face was beaming, and his eyesshining like blue stars.
We behaved nicely--he only kissed my hand, and Lady Merrenden looked awayat the clock even for that. She has tact.
"Isn't my Evangeline a darling, Aunt Sophia?" he said. "And don't you loveher red hair?"
"It is beautiful," said Lady Merrenden.
"When you leave us alone I am going to pull it all down"; and hewhispered, "Darling, I love you," so close that his lips touched my ear,while he pretended he was not doing anything. I say, again, Robert hasways that would charm a stone image.
"How was Torquilstone last night?" Lady Merrenden asked, "and did you tellhim anything?"
"Not a word," said Robert. "I wanted to wait and consult you both whichwould be best. Shall I go to him at once, or shall he be made to meet myEvangeline again, and let her fascinate him, as she is bound to do, andthen tell him?"
"Oh, tell him straight!" I exclaimed, remembering his proclivities aboutthe servants and that Veronique knows. "Then he cannot ever say we havedeceived him."
"That is how I feel," said Robert.
"You take Evangeline to lunch, Aunt Sophia, and I will go back and feedwith him, and tell him, and then come to you after."
"Yes, that will be best," she said, and it was settled that she shouldcome in again and fetch me in an hour, when Robert should leave to go toVavasour House. He went with her to the lift, and then he came back.
No--even in this locked book I am not going to write of that hour--it wastoo divine. If I had thought just sitting in the park was heaven, I nowknow there are degrees of heaven, and that Robert is teaching me uptowards the seventh.
_Monday afternoon._ (Continued.)
I forgot to say a note came from Christopher by this morning's post--itmade me laugh when I read it, then it went out of my head; but when LadyMerrenden returned for me, and we were more or less sane again--Robert andI--I thought of it; so apparently did he. "Did you by chance hear fromChristopher, whether he got your note last night or no?" he said.
I went and fetched it from my bedroom when I put on my hat. Robert read italoud:
"TRAVELLER'S CLUB
"_Sunday night._
"'_Souvent femme varie--fol qui se fie!_' Hope you found your variation worth while!
C. C."
"What dam cheek!" he said, in his old way. He hasn't used any "ornamentsto conversation" since we have been--oh, I want to say it--engaged!
Then his eyes flashed. "Christopher had better be careful of himself! Hewill have to be answerable to me now."
"Do be prudent, Evangeline dear," Lady Merrenden said, gayly, "or you willhave Robert breaki
ng the head of every man in the street who even glancesat you. He is frantically jealous."
"Yes, I know I am," said Robert, rearranging the tie on my blouse withthat air of _sans gene_ and possession that pleases me so.
I belong to him now, and if my tie isn't as he likes he has a perfectright to retie it, no matter who is there. That is his attitude--not the_least_ ceremony or stuff, everything perfectly simple and natural.
It does make things agreeable. When I was, "Miss Travers" and he "LordRobert," he was always respectful and unfamiliar--except that one nightwhen rage made him pinch my finger. But now that I am _his_ Evangeline andhe is _my_ Robert (thus he explained it to me in our paradise hour), I amhis queen and his darling, but at the same time his possession andbelonging, just the same as his watch or his coat--I adore it--and it doesnot make me the least "uppish," as one might have thought.
"Come, come, children," Lady Merrenden said at last, "we shall all belate."
So we started, dropping Robert at Vavasour House on our way. It is asplendid place, down one of those side streets looking on the Green Park,and has a small garden that side. I had never been down to the littlesquare where it is before, but, of course, every one can see its splendidfrontage from St. James's Park, though I had never realized it wasVavasour House.
"Good luck!" whispered Lady Merrenden as Robert got out, and then we droveon.
Several people were lunching at Carlton House Terrace: cabinet ministers,and a clever novelist, and the great portrait painter, besides two orthree charming women--one as pretty and smart as Lady Ver, but the othersmore ordinary looking, only so well mannered. No real frumps like theMontgomeries. We had a delightful lunch, and I tried to talk nicely and domy best to please my dear hostess. When they had all left I think we bothbegan to feel excited, and long apprehensively for the arrival of Robert.So we talked of the late guests.
"It amuses my husband to see a number of different kinds of people," shesaid; "but we had nothing very exciting to-day, I must confess, thoughsometimes the authors and authoresses bore me, and they are often verydisappointing--one does not any longer care to read their books afterseeing them."
I said I could quite believe that.
"I do not go in for budding geniuses," she continued. "I prefer to waituntil they have arrived, no matter their origin; then they have acquired acertain outside behavior on the way up, and it does not _froisse_ one so.Merrenden is a great judge of human nature, and variety entertains him.Left to myself, I fear I should be quite contented with less gifted peoplewho were simply of one's own world."
In all her talk one can see her thought and consideration for LordMerrenden and his wishes and tastes.
"I always feel it is so cruel for him, our having no children," she said."The earldom becomes extinct, so I must make him as happy as I can."
What a dear and just woman!
At last we spoke of Robert, and she told me stories of his boyhood,amusing Eton scrapes, and later feats. And how brave and splendid he hadbeen in the war; and how the people all adored him at Torquilstone; and ofhis popularity and influence with them. "You must make him go intoParliament," she said.
Then Robert came into the room. Oh, his darling face spoke, there was noneed for words. The duke, one could see, had been obdurate.
"Well," said Lady Merrenden.
Robert came straight over to me and took my face in his two hands."Darling," he said, "before everything I want you to know I love youbetter than anything else in the world, and nothing will make anydifference," and he kissed me deliberately before his aunt. His voice wasso moved, and we all felt a slight lump in our throats I know; then hestood in front of us, but he held my hand.
"Torquilstone was horrid, I can see," said Lady Merrenden. "What did hesay, Robert? Tell us everything. Evangeline would wish it too, I am sure,as well as I."
Robert looked very pale and stern; one can see how firm his jaw is inreality, and how steady his dear, blue eyes.
"I told him I loved Evangeline, whom I understood he had met yesterday,and that I intended to marry her."
"And he said?" asked Lady Merrenden, breathless.
I only held tighter Robert's hand.
"He swore like a trooper, he thumped his glass down on the table andsmashed it--a disgusting exhibition of temper--I was ashamed of him. Thenhe said never, as long as he lived and could prevent it; that he had heardsomething of my infatuation, so as I am not given that way he had madeinquiries, and found the family was most unsatisfactory. Then he had comehere yesterday on purpose to see you--darling," turning to me, "and thathe had judged for himself. The girl was a 'devilish beauty' (his words,not mine), with the naughtiest, provoking eyes, and a mouth--No, I can'tsay the rest, it makes me too mad," and Robert's eyes flashed.
Lady Merrenden rose from her seat and came and took my other hand. I feltas if I could not stand too tall and straight.
"The long and short of it is, he has absolutely refused to have anythingto do with the matter, says I need expect nothing further from him, and wehave parted for good and all."
"Oh, Robert!" It was almost a cry from Lady Merrenden.
Robert put his arms round me, and his face changed to radiance.
"Well, I don't care; what does it matter? A few places and thousands inthe dim future--the loss of them is nothing to me if I only have myEvangeline now."
"But, Robert dearest," Lady Merrenden said, "you can't possibly livewithout what he allows you--what have you of your own? About eighteenhundred a year, I suppose, and you know, darling boy, you are often indebt. Why, he paid five thousand for you as lately as last Easter. Oh,what is to be done?" and she clasped her hands.
I felt as if turned to stone. Was all this divine happiness going to slipfrom my grasp? Yes, it looked like it, for I could never drag Robert intopoverty and spoil his great future.
"He can't leave away Torquilstone, and those thousands of profitlessacres," Lady Merrenden went on; "but, unfortunately, all the Londonproperty is at his disposition. Oh, I must go and talk to him!"
"No," said Robert. "It would not be the least use, and would look as if wewere pleading." His face had fallen to intense sadness as Lady Merrendenspoke of his money.
"Darling," he said, in a broken voice. "No, it is true it would not befair to make you a beggar. I should be a cad to ask you. We must think ofsome way of softening my brother after all."
Then I spoke.
"Robert," I said, "if you were only John Smith I would say I wouldwillingly go and live with you in a cottage, or even in a slum; but youare not, and I would not for _anything in the world_ drag you down out ofwhat is your position in life. That would be a poor sort of love. Oh, mydear," and I clasped tight his hand, "if everything fails, then we mustpart and you must forget me."
He folded me in his arms, and we heard the door shut. Lady Merrenden hadleft us alone. Oh, it was anguish and divine bliss at the same time thenext half-hour.
"I will never forget you, and never in this world will I take anotherwoman, I swear to God!" he said, at the end of it. "If we must part, thenlife is finished for me of all joy."
"And for me, too, Robert!"
We said the most passionate vows of love to each other, but I will notwrite them here; there is another locked book where I keep them--the bookof my soul.
"Would it be any good if Colonel Tom Carden went and spoke to him?" Iasked, presently. "He was best man at papa's wedding, and knows all thereis to be known of poor mamma; and do you think that as mamma's father wasLord de Brandreth--a very old barony I believe it is--oh, can it make anydifference to the children's actual breeding, their parents not havingbeen through the marriage ceremony? I--I--don't know much of that sort ofthings."
"My sweet," said Robert, and through all our sorrow he smiled and kissedme--"my sweet, sweet Evangeline."
"But does the duke know all the details of the history?" I asked, when Icould speak; one can't when one is being kissed.
"Every little bit, it seems. He says he will n
ot discuss the matter ofthat--I must know it is quite enough, as I have always known his views;but if it was not sufficient, your wild, wicked beauty is. You would notbe faithful to me for a year, he said. I could hardly keep from killinghim when he hurled that at my head."
I felt my temper rising. How frightfully unjust--how cruel! I went overand looked in the glass--a big mirror between the windows--drawing Robertwith me.
"Oh, tell me, tell me, what is it? Am I so very bad looking? It is acurse, surely, that is upon me."
"Of course you are not bad looking, my darling!" exclaimed Robert."You are perfectly beautiful--a slender, stately, exquisitetiger-lily--only--only--you don't look cold--and it is just your red hair,and those fascinating green eyes, and your white, lovely skin and blackeyelashes that, that--Oh, you know, you sweetheart! You don't look likebread-and-butter, you are utterly desirable, and you would make any one'sheart beat."
I thought of the night at "Carmen."
"Yes, I am wicked," I said; "but I never will be again--only just enoughto make you always love me, because Lady Ver says security makes yawns.But even wicked people can love with a great, great love, and that cankeep them good. Oh, if he only knew how utterly I love you, Robert, I amsure, sure, he would be kind to us!"
"Well, how shall we tell him?"
Then a thought came to me, and I felt all over a desperate thrill ofexcitement.
"Will you do nothing until to-morrow?" I said. "I have an idea which Iwill tell to no one. Let us go back to Claridge's now, and do not come andsee me again until to-morrow at twelve. Then, if this has failed we willsay good-bye. It is a desperate chance."
"And you won't tell me what it is?"
"No. Please trust me; it is my life as well as yours, remember."
"My queen!" he said. "Yes, I will do that, or anything else you wish, only_never, never_ good-bye. I am a man, after all, and have numbers ofinfluential relations. I can do something else in life just be aGuardsman, and we shall get enough money to live quite happily on, thoughwe might not be very grand people. I will never say good-bye--do you hear?Promise me you will never say it, either."
I was silent.
"Evangeline, darling!" he cried in anguish, his eyebrows right up in theold way, while two big tears welled up in his beautiful eyes. "My God!won't you answer me?"
"Yes, I will," I said, and I threw all my reserve to the winds, and flungmy arms round his neck, passionately.
"I love you with my, heart and soul, and pray to God we shall never saygood-bye."
When I got back to Claridge's, for the first time in my life I felt alittle faint. Lady Merrenden had driven me back herself, and left me withevery assurance of her devotion and affection for us. I had said good-byeto Robert for the day at Carlton House Terrace.
They do not yet know me, either of them, quite; or what I can and willdo.