Marion Fay: A Novel

  CHAPTER XIX.

  LADY AMALDINA'S LOVER.

  Trafford Park was in Shropshire. Llwddythlw, the Welsh seat of theDuke of Merioneth, was in the next county;--one of the seats thatis, for the Duke had mansions in many counties. Here at this periodof the year it suited Lord Llwddythlw to live,--not for any specialgratification of his own, but because North Wales was supposed torequire his presence. He looked to the Quarter Sessions, to theRoads, to the Lunatic Asylum, and to the Conservative Interestsgenerally of that part of Great Britain. That he should spendChristmas at Llwddythlw was a thing of course. In January he wentinto Durham; February to Somersetshire. In this way he parcelledhimself out about the kingdom, remaining in London of course fromthe first to the last of the Parliamentary Session. It was, we maysay emphatically, a most useful life, but in which there was norecreation and very little excitement. It was not wonderful thathe should be unable to find time to get married. As he could notget as far as Castle Hautboy,--partly, perhaps, because he did notespecially like the omnium-gatherum mode of living which prevailedthere,--it had been arranged that he should give up two days earlyin December to meet the lady of his love under her aunt's roof atTrafford Park. Lady Amaldina and he were both to arrive there onWednesday, December 3rd, and remain till the Tuesday morning. Therehad not been any special term arranged as to the young lady's visit,as her time was not of much consequence; but it had been explainedminutely that the lover must reach Denbigh by the 5.45 train, so asto be able to visit certain institutions in the town before a publicdinner which was to be held in the Conservative interest at seven.Lord Llwddythlw had comfort in thinking that he could utilize his twodays' idleness at Trafford in composing and studying the speech onthe present state of affairs, which, though to be uttered at Denbigh,would, no doubt, appear in all the London newspapers on the followingmorning.

  As it was to be altogether a lover's meeting, no company was tobe invited. Mr. Greenwood would, of course, be there. To make upsomething of a dinner-party, the Mayor of Shrewsbury was asked forthe first evening, with his wife. The Mayor was a strong conservativepolitician, and Lord Llwddythlw would therefore be glad to meet him.For the next day's dinner the clergyman of the parish, with his wifeand daughter, were secured. The chief drawback to these festivearrangements consisted in the fact that both Lady Amaldina and herlover arrived on the day of the bitter quarrel between the Marquisand his wife.

  Perhaps, however, the coming of guests is the best relief which canbe afforded for the misery of such domestic feuds. After such wordsas had been spoken Lord and Lady Trafford could hardly have sat downcomfortably to dinner, with no one between them but Mr. Greenwood.In such case there could not have been much conversation. But nowthe Marquis could come bustling into the drawing-room to welcome hiswife's niece before dinner without any reference to the discomfortsof the morning. Almost at the same moment Lord Llwddythlw made hisappearance, having arrived at the latest possible moment, and havingdressed himself in ten minutes. As there was no one present but thefamily, Lady Amaldina kissed her future husband,--as she might havekissed her grandfather,--and his lordship received the salutationas any stern, undemonstrative grandfather might have done. Then Mr.Greenwood entered, with the Mayor and his wife, and the party wascomplete. The Marquis took Lady Amaldina out to dinner and her loversat next to her. The Mayor and his wife were on the other side ofthe table, and Mr. Greenwood was between them. The soup had not beenhanded round before Lord Llwddythlw was deep in a question as to thecomparative merits of the Shropshire and Welsh Lunatic asylums. Fromthat moment till the time at which the gentlemen went to the ladiesin the drawing-room the conversation was altogether of a practicalnature. As soon as the ladies had left the table roads and asylumsgave way to general politics,--as to which the Marquis and Mr.Greenwood allowed the Conservatives to have pretty much their ownway. In the drawing-room conversation became rather heavy, till, ata few minutes after ten, the Mayor, observing that he had a drivebefore him, retired for the night. The Marchioness with Lady Amaldinafollowed quickly; and within five minutes the Welsh lord, havingmuttered something as to the writing of letters, was within theseclusion of his own bedroom. Not a word of love had been spoken, butLady Amaldina was satisfied. On her toilet-table she found a littleparcel addressed to her by his lordship containing a locket with hermonogram, "A. L.," in diamonds. The hour of midnight was long passedbefore his lordship had reduced to words the first half of thosepromises of constitutional safety which he intended to make to theConservatives of Denbigh. Not much was seen of Lord Llwddythlw afterbreakfast on the following morning, so determined was he to dojustice to the noble cause which he had in hand. After lunch a littleexpedition was arranged for the two lovers, and the busy politicianallowed himself to be sent out for a short drive with no othercompanion than his future bride. Had he been quite intimate with herhe would have given her the manuscript of his speech, and occupiedhimself by saying it to her as a lesson which he had learnt. Ashe could not do this he recapitulated to her all his engagements,as though excusing his own slowness as to matrimony, and declaredthat what with the property and what with Parliament, he never knewwhether he was standing on his head or his heels. But when he pausedhe had done nothing towards naming a certain day, so that LadyAmaldina found herself obliged to take the matter into her own hands."When then do you think it will be?" she asked. He put his hand upand rubbed his head under his hat as though the subject were verydistressing to him. "I would not for worlds, you know, think thatI was in your way," she said, with just a tone of reproach in hervoice.

  He was in truth sincerely attached to her;--much more so than itwas in the compass of her nature to be to him. If he could have hadher for his wife without any trouble of bridal preparations, or ofsubsequent honeymooning, he would most willingly have begun from thismoment. It was incumbent on him to be married, and he had quite madeup his mind that this was the sort of wife that he required. Butnow he was sadly put about by that tone of reproach. "I wish togoodness," he said, "that I had been born a younger brother, or justanybody else than I am."

  "Why on earth should you wish that?"

  "Because I am so bothered. Of course, you don't understand it."

  "I do understand," said Amaldina;--"but there must, you know, be someend to all that. I suppose the Parliament and the Lunatic Asylumswill go on just the same always."

  "No doubt,--no doubt."

  "If so, there is no reason why any day should ever be fixed. Peopleare beginning to think that it must be off, because it has beentalked of so long."

  "I hope it will never be off."

  "I know the Prince said the other day that he had expected--. But itdoes not signify what he expected." Lord Llwddythlw had also heardthe story of what the Prince had said that he expected, and hescratched his head again with vexation. It had been reported that thePrince had declared that he had hoped to be asked to be godfatherlong ago. Lady Amaldina had probably heard some other version of thestory. "What I mean is that everybody was surprised that it should beso long postponed, but that they now begin to think it is abandonedaltogether."

  "Shall we say June next?" said the ecstatic lover. Lady Amaldinathought that June would do very well. "But there will be the Town'sEducation Improvement Bill," said his lordship, again scratching hishead.

  "I thought all the towns had been educated long ago." He looked ather with feelings of a double sorrow;--sorrow that she should haveknown so little, sorrow that she should be treated so badly. "I thinkwe will put it off altogether," she said angrily.

  "No, no, no," he exclaimed. "Would August do? I certainly havepromised to be at Inverness to open the New Docks."

  "That's nonsense," she said. "What can the Docks want with you toopen them?"

  "My father, you know," he said, "has a very great interest in thecity. I think I'll get David to do it." Lord David was his brother,also a Member of Parliament, and a busy man, as were all the Powellfamily; but one who liked a little recreation among the moors whenthe fatigue of the House of Common
s were over.

  "Of course he could do it," said Lady Amaldina. "He got himselfmarried ten years ago."

  "I'll ask him, but he'll be very angry. He always says that heoughtn't to be made to do an elder brother's work."

  "Then I may tell mamma?" His lordship again rubbed his head, but didit this time in a manner that was conceived to signify assent. Thelady pressed his arm gently, and the visit to Trafford, as far asshe was concerned, was supposed to have been a success. She gave himanother little squeeze as they got out of the carriage, and he wentaway sadly to learn the rest of his speech, thinking how sweet itmight be "To do as others use; Play with the tangles of Neaera's hair,Or sport with Amaryllis in the shade."

  But there was a worse interruption for Lord Llwddythlw than thiswhich he had now undergone. At about five, when he was making theperoration of his speech quite secure in his memory, a message cameto him from the Marchioness, saying that she would be much obligedto him if he would give her five minutes in her own room. Perhaps hewould be kind enough to drink a cup of tea with her. This message wasbrought by her ladyship's own maid, and could be regarded only as acommand. But Lord Llwddythlw wanted no tea, cared not at all for LadyKingsbury, and was very anxious as to his speech. He almost cursedthe fidgety fretfulness of women as he slipped the manuscript intohis letter-case, and followed the girl along the passages.

  "This is so kind of you," she said. He gave himself the usual rub ofvexation as he bowed his head, but said nothing. She saw the state ofhis mind, but was determined to persevere. Though he was a man plainto look at, he was known to be the very pillar and support of hisorder. No man in England was so wedded to the Conservative cause,--tothat cause which depends for its success on the maintenance of thosesocial institutions by which Great Britain has become the first amongthe nations. No one believed as did Lord Llwddythlw in keeping thedifferent classes in their own places,--each place requiring honour,truth, and industry. The Marchioness understood something of hischaracter in that respect. Who therefore would be so ready to seethe bitterness of her own injuries, to sympathize with her as to theunfitness of that son and daughter who had no blood relationshipto herself, to perceive how infinitely better it would be for the"order" that her own little Lord Frederic should be allowed tosucceed and to assist in keeping the institutions of Great Britainin their proper position? She had become absolutely dead to the factthat by any allusion to the probability of such a succession she wasexpressing a wish for the untimely death of one for whose welfare shewas bound to be solicitous. She had lost, by constant dwelling on thesubject, her power of seeing how the idea would strike the feelingsof another person. Here was a man peculiarly blessed in the world,a man at the very top of his "order," one who would be closelyconnected with herself, and on whom at some future time she might beable to lean as on a strong staff. Therefore she determined to trusther sorrows into his ears.

  "Won't you have a cup of tea?"

  "I never take any at this time of the day."

  "Perhaps a cup of coffee?"

  "Nothing before dinner, thank you."

  "You were not at Castle Hautboy when Hampstead and his sister werethere?"

  "I have not been at Castle Hautboy since the spring."

  "Did you not think it very odd that they should have been asked?"

  "No, indeed! Why odd?"

  "You know the story;--do you not? As one about to be so nearlyconnected with the family, you ought to know it. Lady Frances hasmade a most unfortunate engagement, to a young man altogether beneathher,--to a Post Office clerk!"

  "I did hear something of that."

  "She behaved shockingly here, and was then taken away by her brother.I have been forced to divorce myself from her altogether." LordLlwddythlw rubbed his head; but on this occasion Lady Kingsburymisinterpreted the cause of his vexation. He was troubled at beingmade to listen to this story. She conceived that he was disgusted bythe wickedness of Lady Frances. "After that I think my sister wasvery wrong to have her at Castle Hautboy. No countenance ought tobe shown to a young woman who can behave so abominably." He couldonly rub his head. "Do you not think that such marriages are mostinjurious to the best interests of society?"

  "I certainly think that young ladies should marry in their own rank."

  "So much depends upon it,--does it not, Lord Llwddythlw? All thefuture blood of our head families! My own opinion is that nothingcould be too severe for such conduct."

  "Will severity prevent it?"

  "Nothing else can. My own impression is that a father in such caseshould be allowed to confine his daughter. But then the Marquis is soweak."

  "The country would not stand it for a moment."

  "So much the worse for the country," said her ladyship, holding upher hands. "But the brother is if possible worse than the sister."

  "Hampstead?"

  "He utterly hates all idea of an aristocracy."

  "That is absurd."

  "Most absurd," said the Marchioness, feeling herself to beencouraged;--"most absurd, and abominable, and wicked. He is quite arevolutionist."

  "Not that, I think," said his lordship, who knew pretty well thenature of Hampstead's political feelings.

  "Indeed he is. Why, he encourages his sister! He would not mind hermarrying a shoeblack if only he could debase his own family. Thinkwhat I must feel, I, with my darling boys!"

  "Is not he kind to them?"

  "I would prefer that he should never see them!"

  "I don't see that at all," said the angry lord.

  But she altogether misunderstood him. "When I think of what heis, and to what he will reduce the whole family should he live,I cannot bear to see him touch them. Think of the blood of theTraffords, of the blood of the Mountressors, of the blood of theHautevilles;--think of your own blood, which is now to be connectedwith theirs, and that all this is to be defiled because this manchooses to bring about a disreputable, disgusting marriage with theexpressed purpose of degrading us all."

  "I beg your pardon, Lady Kingsbury; I shall be in no way degraded."

  "Think of us; think of my children."

  "Nor will they. It may be a misfortune, but will be no degradation.Honour can only be impaired by that which is dishonourable. I wishthat Lady Frances had given her heart elsewhere, but I feel sure thatthe name of her family is safe in her hands. As for Hampstead, he isa young man for whose convictions I have no sympathy,--but I am surethat he is a gentleman."

  "I would that he were dead," said Lady Kingsbury in her wrath.

  "Lady Kingsbury!"

  "I would that he were dead!"

  "I can only say," said Lord Llwddythlw, rising from his chair, "thatyou have made your confidence most unfortunately. Lord Hampstead isa young nobleman whom I should be proud to call my friend. A man'spolitics are his own. His honour, his integrity, and even his conductbelong in a measure to his family. I do not think that his father,or his brothers, or, if I may say so, his stepmother, will ever haveoccasion to blush for anything that he may do." With this he bowedto the Marchioness, and stalked out of the room with a grand manner,which those who saw him shuffling his feet in the House of Commonswould hardly have thought belonged to him.

  The dinner on that day was very quiet, and Lady Kingsbury retired tobed earlier even than usual. The conversation at the dinner was dull,and turned mostly on Church subjects. Mr. Greenwood endeavoured to besprightly, and the parson, and the parson's wife, and the parson'sdaughter were uncomfortable. Lord Llwddythlw was almost dumb. LadyAmaldina, having settled the one matter of interest to her, wassimply contented. On the next morning her lover took his departureby an earlier train than he had intended. It was, he said, necessarythat he should look into some matters at Denbigh before he made hisspeech. He contrived to get a compartment to himself, and there hepractised his lesson till he felt that further practice would onlyconfuse him.

  "You had Fanny at the Castle the other day," Lady Kingsbury said thenext morning to her niece.

  "Mamma thought it would be good-natured t
o ask them both."

  "They did not deserve it. Their conduct has been such that I amforced to say that they deserve nothing from my family. Did she speakabout this marriage of hers?"

  "She did mention it."

  "Well!"

  "Oh, there was nothing. Of course there was much more to say aboutmine. She was saying that she would be glad to be a bridesmaid."

  "Pray don't have her."

  "Why not, aunt?"

  "I could not possibly be there if you did. I have been compelled todivorce her from my heart."

  "Poor Fanny!"

  "But she was not ashamed of what she is doing?"

  "I should say not. She is not one of those that are ever ashamed."

  "No, no. Nothing would make her ashamed. All ideas of propriety shehas banished from her,--as though they didn't exist. I expect to hearthat she disregards marriage altogether."

  "Aunt Clara!"

  "What can you expect from doctrines such as those which she and herbrother share? Thank God, you have never been in the way of hearingof such things. It breaks my heart when I think of what my owndarlings will be sure to hear some of these days,--should theirhalf-brother and half-sister still be left alive. But, Amaldina,pray do not have her for one of your bridesmaids." Lady Amaldina,remembering that her cousin was very handsome, and also that theremight be a difficulty in making up the twenty titled virgins, gaveher aunt no promise.