CHAPTER VIII.
_Which Is Rather Strange_.
IT WAS on the morning after the assembly at Bellair House that Ferdinandwas roused from his welcome slumbers, for he had passed an almostsleepless night, by his servant bringing him a note, and telling himthat it had been left by a lady in a carriage. He opened it, and read asfollows:--
'Silly, silly Captain Armine! why did you not come to my Vauxhall lastnight? I wanted to present you to the fairest damsel in the world, whohas a great fortune too; but that you don't care about. When are yougoing to be married? Miss Grandison looked charming, but disconsolatewithout her knight. Your mother is an angel, and the Duchess of-----isquite in love with her. Your father, too, is a worthy man. I love yourfamily very much. Come and call upon poor old doting bedridden H. B.,who is at home every day from two to six to receive her friends. Hascharming Lady Armine got a page? I have one that would just suit her. Heteases my poor squirrel so that I am obliged to turn him away; but he isa real treasure. That fine lady, Mrs. Montgomery Floyd, would give herears for him; but I love your mother much more, and so she shall havehim. He shall come to her to-night. All the world takes tea with H. B.on Thursday and Saturday.'
'One o'clock!' said Ferdinand. 'I may as well get up and call inBrook-street, and save my mother from this threatened infliction.Heigho! Day after day, and each more miserable than the other. How willthis end?'
When Ferdinand arrived in Brook-street, he went up stairs withoutbeing announced, and found in the drawing-room, besides his mother andKatherine, the duchess, Lord Montfort, and Henrietta Temple.
The young ladies were in their riding-habits. Henrietta appeared beforehim, the same Henrietta whom he had met, for the first time, in thepleasaunce at Armine. Retreat was impossible. Her Grace receivedFerdinand cordially, and reminded him of old days. Henrietta bowed, butshe was sitting at some distance with Miss Grandison, looking at somework. Her occupation covered her confusion. Lord Montfort came forwardwith extended hand.
'I have the pleasure of meeting an old friend,' said his lordship.
Ferdinand just touched his lordship's finger, and bowed rather stiffly;then, turning to his mother, he gave her Lady Bellair's note. 'Itconcerns you more than myself,' he observed.
'You were not at Lady Bellair's last night, Captain Armine,' said herGrace.
'I never go anywhere,' was the answer.
'He has been a great invalid,' said Lady Armine.
'Where is Glastonbury, Ferdinand?' said Lady Armine. 'He never comesnear us.'
'He goes every day to the British Museum.'
'I wish he would take me,' said Katherine. 'I have never been there.Have you?' she enquired, turning to Henrietta.
'I am ashamed to say never,' replied Henrietta. 'It seems to me thatLondon is the only city of which I know nothing.'
'Ferdinand,' said Katherine, 'I wish you would go with us to the Museumsome day. Miss Temple would like to go. You know Miss Temple,' sheadded, as if she of course supposed he had not that pleasure.
Ferdinand bowed; Lord Montfort came forward, and turned the conversationto Egyptian antiquities. When a quarter of an hour had passed, Ferdinandthought that he might now withdraw.
'Do you dine at home, Katherine, to-day?' he enquired.
Miss Grandison looked at Miss Temple; the young ladies whispered.
'Ferdinand,' said Katherine, 'what are you going to do?'
'Nothing particular.'
'We are going to ride, and Miss Temple wishes you would come with us.'
'I should be very happy, but I have some business to attend to.'
'Dear Ferdinand, that is what you always say. You really appear to me tobe the most busy person in the world.'
'Pray come, Captain Armine,' said Lord Montfort.
'Thank you; it is really not in my power.' His hat was in his hand;he was begging her Grace to bear his compliments to the duke, whenHenrietta rose from her seat, and, coming up to him, said, 'Do, CaptainArmine, come with us; I ask you as a favour.'
That voice! Oh! it came o'er his ear 'like the sweet south;' it unmannedhim quite. He scarcely knew where he was. He trembled from head to foot.His colour deserted him, and the unlucky hat fell to the floor; and yetshe stood before him, awaiting his reply, calm, quite calm, serious,apparently a little anxious. The duchess was in earnest conversationwith his mother. Lord Montfort had walked up to Miss Grandison, and wasengaged in arranging a pattern for her. Ferdinand and Henriettawere quite unobserved. He looked up; he caught her eye; and then hewhispered, 'This is hardly fair.'
She stretched forth her hand, took his hat, and laid it on the table;then, turning to Katherine, she said, in a tone which seemed to admitno doubt, 'Captain Armine will ride with us;' and she seated herself byLady Armine.
The expedition was a little delayed by Ferdinand having to send for hishorse; the others had, in the meantime, arrived. Yet this half-hour,by some contrivance, did at length disappear. Lord Montfort continuedtalking to Miss Grandison. Henrietta remained seated by Lady Armine.Ferdinand revolved a great question in, his mind, and it was this: WasLord Montfort aware of the intimate acquaintance between himself andMiss Temple? And what was the moving principle of her present conduct?He conjured up a thousand reasons, but none satisfied him. His curiositywas excited, and, instead of regretting his extracted promise to jointhe cavalcade, he rejoiced that an opportunity was thus afforded him ofperhaps solving a problem in the secret of which he now began to feelextremely interested.
And yet in truth when Ferdinand found himself really mounted, and ridingby the side of Henrietta Temple once more, for Lord Montfort was veryimpartial in his attentions to his fair companions, and Ferdinandcontinually found himself next to Henrietta, he really began to thinkthe world was bewitched, and was almost sceptical whether he was or wasnot Ferdinand Armine. The identity of his companion too was so complete:Henrietta Temple in her riding-habit was the very image most keenlyimpressed upon his memory. He looked at her and stared at her witha face of curious perplexity. She did not, indeed, speak much; theconversation was always general, and chiefly maintained by LordMontfort, who, though usually silent and reserved, made on this occasionsuccessful efforts to be amusing. His attention to Ferdinand too wasremarkable; it was impossible to resist such genuine and unaffectedkindness. It smote Ferdinand's heart that he had received his lordship'sfirst advances so ungraciously. Compunction rendered him now doublycourteous; he was even once or twice almost gay.
The day was as fine as a clear sky, a warm sun, and a western breezecould render it. Tempted by so much enjoyment, their ride was long. Itwas late, much later than they expected, when they returned home by thegreen lanes of pretty Willesden, and the Park was quite empty when theyemerged from the Edgware-road into Oxford-street.
'Now the best thing we can all do is to dine in St. James'-square,' saidLord Montfort. 'It is ten minutes past eight. We shall just be in time,and then we can send messages to Grosvenor-square and Brook-street. Whatsay you, Armine? You will come, of course?'
'Thank you, if you would excuse me.'
'No, no; why excuse you?' said Lord Montfort: 'I think it shabby todesert us now, after all our adventures.'
'Really you are very kind, but I never dine out.'
'Dine out! What a phrase! You will not meet a human being; perhaps noteven my father. If you will not come, it will spoil everything.'
'I cannot dine in a frock,' said Ferdinand.
'I shall,' said Lord Montfort, 'and these ladies must dine in theirhabits, I suspect.'
'Oh! certainly, certainly,' said the ladies.
'Do come, Ferdinand,' said Katherine.
'I ask you as a favour,' said Henrietta, turning to him and speaking ina low voice.
'Well,' said Ferdinand, with a sigh.
'That is well,' said Montfort; 'now let us trot through the Park, andthe groom can call in Grosvenor-square and Brook-street, and gallopafter us. This is amusing, is it not?'