CHAPTER VI.
Although the sun had not set, it had sunk behind the hills leadingto Cherbury when our friends quitted the abbey. Cadurcis, withouthesitation, offered his arm to Venetia, and whether from a secretsympathy with his wishes, or merely from some fortunate accident, LadyAnnabel and Dr. Masham strolled on before without busying themselvestoo earnestly with their companions.
'And how do you think our expedition to Cadurcis has turned out?'inquired the young lord, of Venetia, 'Has it been successful?'
'It has been one of the most agreeable days I ever passed,' was thereply.
'Then it has been successful,' rejoined his lordship; 'for my onlywish was to amuse you.'
'I think we have all been equally amused,' said Venetia. 'I never knewmamma in such good spirits. I think ever since you returned she hasbeen unusually light-hearted.'
'And you: has my return lightened only her heart, Venetia?'
'Indeed it has contributed to the happiness of every one.'
'And yet, when I first returned, I heard you utter a complaint; thefirst that to my knowledge ever escaped your lips.'
'Ah! we cannot be always equally gay.'
'Once you were, dear Venetia.'
'I was a child then.'
'And I, I too was a child; yet I am happy, at least now that I am withyou.'
'Well, we are both happy now.'
'Oh! say that again, say that again, Venetia; for indeed you made memiserable when you told me that you had changed. I cannot bear thatyou, Venetia, should ever change.'
'It is the course of nature, Plantagenet; we all change, everythingchanges. This day that was so bright is changing fast.'
'The stars are as beautiful as the sun, Venetia.'
'And what do you infer?'
'That Venetia, a woman, is as beautiful as Venetia, a little girl; andshould be as happy.'
'Is beauty happiness, Plantagenet?'
'It makes others happy, Venetia; and when we make others happy weshould be happy ourselves.'
'Few depend upon my influence, and I trust all of them are happy.'
'No one depends upon your influence more than I do.'
'Well, then, be happy always.'
'Would that I might! Ah, Venetia! can I ever forget old days? You werethe solace of my dark childhood; you were the charm that first taughtme existence was enjoyment. Before I came to Cherbury I never washappy, and since that hour--Ah, Venetia! dear, dearest Venetia! who islike to you?'
'Dear Plantagenet, you were always too kind to me. Would we werechildren once more!'
'Nay, my own Venetia! you tell me everything changes, and we must notmurmur at the course of nature. I would not have our childhood backagain, even with all its joys, for there are others yet in store forus, not less pure, not less beautiful. We loved each other then,Venetia, and we love each other now.'
'My feelings towards you have never changed, Plantagenet; I heardof you always with interest, and I met you again with heartfeltpleasure.'
'Oh, that morning! Have you forgotten that morning? Do you know, youwill smile very much, but I really believe that I expected to see myVenetia still a little girl, the very same who greeted me when I firstarrived with my mother and behaved so naughtily! And when I saw you,and found what you had become, and what I ought always to have knownyou must become, I was so confused I entirely lost my presence ofmind. You must have thought me very awkward, very stupid?'
'Indeed, I was rather gratified by observing that you could not meetus again without emotion. I thought it told well for your heart, whichI always believed to be most kind, at least, I am sure, to us.'
'Kind! oh, Venetia! that word but ill describes what my heart everwas, what it now is, to you. Venetia! dearest, sweetest Venetia!can you doubt for a moment my feelings towards your home, and whatinfluence must principally impel them? Am I so dull, or you so blind,Venetia? Can I not express, can you not discover how much, howardently, how fondly, how devotedly, I, I, I love you?'
'I am sure we always loved each other, Plantagenet.'
'Yes! but not with this love; not as I love you now!'
Venetia stared.
'I thought we could not love each other more than we did,Plantagenet,' at length she said. 'Do you remember the jewel that yougave me? I always wore it until you seemed to forget us, and then Ithought it looked so foolish! You remember what is inscribed on it:'TO VENETIA, FROM HER AFFECTIONATE BROTHER, PLANTAGENET.' And as abrother I always loved you; had I indeed been your sister I could nothave loved you more warmly and more truly.'
'I am not your brother, Venetia; I wish not to be loved as a brother:and yet I must be loved by you, or I shall die.'
'What then do you wish?' inquired Venetia, with great simplicity.
'I wish you to marry me,' replied Lord Cadurcis.
'Marry!' exclaimed Venetia, with a face of wonder. 'Marry! Marry you!Marry you, Plantagenet!'
'Ay! is that so wonderful? I love you, and if you love me, why shouldwe not marry?'
Venetia was silent and looked upon the ground, not from agitation,for she was quite calm, but in thought; and then she said, 'I neverthought of marriage in my life, Plantagenet; I have no intention, nowish to marry; I mean to live always with mamma.'
'And you shall always live with mamma, but that need not prevent youfrom marrying me,' he replied. 'Do not we all live together now? Whatwill it signify if you dwell at Cadurcis and Lady Annabel at Cherbury?Is it not one home? But at any rate, this point shall not be anobstacle; for if it please you we will all live at Cherbury.'
'You say that we are happy now, Plantagenet; oh! let us remain as weare.'
'My own sweet girl, my sister, if you please, any title, so it be oneof fondness, your sweet simplicity charms me; but, believe me, itcannot be as you wish; we cannot remain as we are unless we marry.'
'Why not?'
'Because I shall be wretched and must live elsewhere, if indeed I canlive at all.'
'Oh, Plantagenet! indeed I thought you were my brother; when I foundyou after so long a separation as kind as in old days, and kinderstill, I was so glad; I was so sure you loved me; I thought I had thekindest brother in the world. Let us not talk of any other love. Itwill, indeed it will, make mamma so miserable!'
'I am greatly mistaken,' replied Lord Cadurcis, who saw no obstaclesto his hopes in their conversation hitherto, 'if, on the contrary, ourunion would not prove far from disagreeable to your mother, Venetia; Iwill say our mother, for indeed to me she has been one.'
'Plantagenet,' said Venetia, in a very earnest tone, 'I love youvery much; but, if you love me, press me on this subject no more atpresent. You have surprised, indeed you have bewildered me. There arethoughts, there are feelings, there are considerations, that must berespected, that must influence me. Nay! do not look so sorrowful,Plantagenet. Let us be happy now. To-morrow, only to-morrow, andto-morrow we are sure to meet, we will speak further of all this; butnow, now, for a moment let us forget it, if we can forget anything sostrange. Nay! you shall smile!'
He did. Who could resist that mild and winning glance! And indeed LordCadurcis was scarcely disappointed, and not at all mortified at hisreception, or, as he esteemed it, the progress of his suit. Theconduct of Venetia he attributed entirely to her unsophisticatednature and the timidity of a virgin soul. It made him prize even moredearly the treasure that he believed awaited him. Silent, then, thoughfor a time they both struggled to speak on different subjects, silent,and almost content, Cadurcis proceeded, with the arm of Venetia lockedin his and ever and anon unconsciously pressing it to his heart. Therosy twilight had faded away, the stars were stealing forth, and themoon again glittered. With a soul softer than the tinted shades of eveand glowing like the heavens, Cadurcis joined his companions as theyentered the gardens of Cherbury. When they had arrived at home itseemed that exhaustion had suddenly succeeded all the excitementof the day. The Doctor, who was wearied, retired immediately. LadyAnnabel pressed Cadurcis to remain and take tea, or, at least to ridehome;
but his lordship, protesting that he was not in the slightestdegree fatigued, and anticipating their speedy union on the morrow,bade her good night, and pressing with fondness the hand of Venetia,retraced his steps to the now solitary abbey.