CHAPTER IV.
LORD HAMPSTEAD IS IMPATIENT.
Hampstead, when he was sent away from Paradise Row, and bade towait till Friday for an answer, was disappointed, almost cross,and unreasonable in his feelings towards Mrs. Roden. To Mrs. Rodenaltogether he attributed it that Marion had deferred her reply.Whether the delay thus enjoined told well or ill for his hopes hecould not bring himself to determine. As he drove himself home hismind was swayed now in one direction and now in the other. Unless sheloved him somewhat, unless she thought it possible that she shouldlove him, she would hardly have asked for time to think of it all.And yet, had she really have loved him, why should she have askedfor time? He had done for her all that a man could do for a girl,and if she loved him she should not have tormented him by foolishdelays,--by coying her love!
It should be said on his behalf that he attributed to himself nopreponderance of excellence, either on the score of his money or hisrank. He was able so to honour the girl as to think of her that suchthings would go for nothing with her. It was not that he had put hiscoronet at her feet, but his heart. It was of that he thought when hereminded himself of all that he had done for her, and told himselfangrily that she should not have tormented him. He was as arrogantand impatient of disappointment as any young lord of them all,--butit was not, however, because he was a lord that he thought thatMarion's heart was due to him.
"I have been over to Holloway," he said to his sister, almost as soonas he had returned.
Out of the full heart the mouth speaks. "Have you seen George?" askedLady Frances.
"No; I did not go to see him. He, of course, would be at his officeduring the day. I went about my own business."
"You need not be so savage with me, John. What was your own businessat Holloway?"
"I went to ask Marion Fay to be my wife."
"You did?"
"Yes; I did. Why should I not? It seems the fashion for us all now tomarry just those we fancy best."
"And why not? Have I gainsaid you? If this Quaker's daughter be goodand honest, and fair to look at--"
"That she is fair to look at I can say certainly. That she is good Ibelieve thoroughly. That she is honest, at any rate to me, I cannotsay as yet."
"Not honest?"
"She will not steal or pick a pocket, if you mean that."
"What is it, John? Why do you speak of her in this way?"
"Because I have chosen to tell you. Having made up my mind to do thisthing, I would not keep it secret as though I were ashamed of it. Howcan I say that she is honest till she has answered me honestly?"
"What answer has she made you?" she asked.
"None;--as yet! She has told me to come again another day."
"I like her better for that."
"Why should you like her better? Just because you're a woman, andthink that shilly-shallying and pretending not to know your own mind,and keeping a fellow in suspense, is becoming. I am not going tochange my mind about Marion; but I do think that mock hesitation isunnecessary, and in some degree dishonest."
"Must it necessarily be mock hesitation? Ought she not to be sure ofherself that she can love you?"
"Certainly; or that she should not love me. I am not such a puppy asto suppose that she is to throw herself into my arms just because Iask her. But I think that she must have known something of herselfso as to have been able to tell me either to hope or not to hope.She was as calm as a Minister in the House of Commons answering aquestion; and she told me to wait till Friday just as those fellowsdo when they have to find out from the clerks in the office what itis they ought to say."
"You will go again on Friday?" she asked.
"Of course I must. It is not likely that she should come to me. Andthen if she says that she'd rather not, I must come home once morewith my tail between my legs."
"I do not think she will say that."
"How can you tell?"
"It is the nature of a girl, I think," said Lady Frances, "to doubta little when she thinks that she can love, but not to doubt at allwhen she feels that she cannot. She may be persuaded afterwards tochange her mind, but at first she is certain enough."
"I call that shilly-shally."
"Not at all. The girl I'm speaking of is honest throughout. And MissFay will have been honest should she accept you now. It is not oftenthat such a one as you, John, can ask a girl in vain."
"That is mean," he said, angrily. "That is imputing falseness, andgreed, and dishonour to the girl I love. If she has liked some fellowclerk in her father's office better than she likes me, shall sheaccept me merely because I am my father's son?"
"It was not that of which I was thinking. A man may have personalgifts which will certainly prevail with a girl young and unsullied bythe world, as I suppose is your Marion Fay."
"Bosh," he said, laughing. "As far as personal gifts are concerned,one fellow is pretty nearly the same as another. A girl has to begood-looking. A man has got to have something to buy bread andcheese with. After that it is all a mere matter of liking anddisliking--unless, indeed, people are dishonest, which they veryoften are."
Up to this period of his life Lord Hampstead had never met any girlwhom he had thought it desirable to make his wife. It was now twoyears since the present Marchioness had endeavoured to arrange analliance between him and her own niece, Lady Amaldina Hauteville.This, though but two years had passed since, seemed to him to haveoccurred at a distant period of his life. Very much had occurred tohim during those two years. His political creed had been strengthenedby the convictions of others, especially by those of George Roden,till it had included those advanced opinions which have beendescribed. He had annoyed, and then dismayed, his father by hiscontinued refusal to go into Parliament. He had taken to himself waysof living of his own, which gave to him the manners and appearance ofmore advanced age. At that period, two years since, his stepmotherstill conceived high hopes of him, even though he would occasionallyutter in her presence opinions which seemed to be terrible. He wasthen not of age, and there would be time enough for a woman of hertact and intellect to cure all those follies. The best way of curingthem, she thought, would be by arranging a marriage between the heirto the Marquisate and the daughter of so distinguished a conservativePeer as her brother-in-law, Lord Persiflage. Having this high objectin view, she opened the matter with diplomatic caution to her sister.Lady Persiflage had at that moment begun to regard Lord Llwddythlw asa possible son-in-law, but was alive to the fact that Lord Hampsteadpossessed some superior advantages. It was possible that her girlshould really love such a one as Lord Hampstead,--hardly possiblethat there should be anything romantic in a marriage with the heirof the Duke of Merioneth. As far as wealth and rank went there wasenough in both competitors. She whispered therefore to her girl thename of the younger aspirant,--aspirant as he might be hoped tobe,--and the girl was not opposed to the idea. Only let there be nofalling to the ground between two stools; no starving for want offodder between two bundles of hay! Lord Llwddythlw had already begunto give symptoms. No doubt he was bald; no doubt he was pre-occupiedwith Parliament and the county. There was no doubt that his wifewould have to encounter that touch of ridicule which a young girlincurs when she marries a man altogether removed beyond the world ofromance. But dukes are scarce, and the man of business was known tobe a man of high honour. There would be no gambling, no difficulties,no possible question of a want of money. And then his politics werethe grandest known in England,--those of an old Tory willing alwaysto work for his party without desiring any of those rewards which the"party" wishes to divide among as select a number as possible. WhatLord Hampstead might turn out to be, there was as yet no knowing. Hehad already declared himself to be a Radical. He was fond of hunting,and it was quite on the cards that he should take to Newmarket. Then,too, his father might live for five-and-twenty years, whereas theDuke of Merioneth was already nearly eighty. But Hampstead was asbeautiful as a young Phoebus, and the pair would instantly becomefamous if only from their good looks alone.
The chance was given toLady Amaldina, but only given on the understanding that she must makevery quick work of her time.
Hampstead was coaxed down to Castle Hautboy for a month in September,with an idea that the young lovers might be as romantic as theypleased among the Lakes. Some little romance there was; but at theend of the first week Amaldina wisely told her mother that the thingwouldn't do. She would always be glad to regard Lord Hampstead as acousin, but as to anything else, there must be an end of it. "I shallsome day give up my title and abandon the property to Freddy. I shallthen go to the United States, and do the best I can there to earnmy own bread." This little speech, made by the proposed lover tothe girl he was expected to marry, opened Lady Amaldina's eyes tothe danger of her situation. Lord Llwddythlw was induced to spendtwo days in the following month at Castle Hautboy, and then thearrangements for the Welsh alliance were completed.
From that time forth a feeling of ill-will on the part of LadyKingsbury towards her stepson had grown and become strong from monthto month. She had not at first conceived any idea that her LordFrederic ought to come to the throne. That had come gradually whenshe perceived, or thought that she perceived, that Hampstead wouldhardly make a marriage properly aristocratic. Hitherto no tidings ofany proposed marriage had reached her ears. She lived at last indaily fear, as any marriage would be the almost sure forerunner of alittle Lord Highgate. If something might happen,--something which shehad taught herself to regard as beneficent and fitting rather thanfatal,--something which might ensure to her little Lord Fredericthose prospects which he had almost a right to expect, then inspite of all her sufferings Heaven would have done something for herfor which she might be thankful. "What will her ladyship say whenshe hears of my maid Marion?" said Hampstead to his sister on theChristmas Day before his further visit to Holloway.
"Will it matter much?" asked Lady Frances.
"I think my feelings towards her are softer than yours. She issilly, arrogant, harsh, and insolent to my father, and altogetherunprincipled in her expectations and ambitions."
"What a character you give her," said his sister.
"But nevertheless I feel for her to such an extent that I almostthink I ought to abolish myself."
"I cannot say that I feel for her."
"It is all for her son that she wants it; and I agree with her inthinking that Freddy will be better fitted than I am for the positionin question. I am determined to marry Marion if I can get her; butall the Traffords, unless it be yourself, will be broken-hearted atsuch a marriage. If once I have a son of my own the matter will behopeless. If I were to call myself Snooks, and refused to take ashilling from the property, I should do them no good. Marion's boywould be just as much in their way as I am."
"What a way of looking at it."
"How my stepmother will hate her! A Quaker's daughter! A clerk atPogson and Littlebird's! Living at Paradise Row! Can't you see her!Is it not hard upon her that we should both go to Paradise Row?" LadyFrances could not keep herself from laughing. "You can't do her anypermanent injury, because you are only a girl; but I think she willpoison me. It will end in her getting Mr. Greenwood to give me somebroth."
"John, you are too terrible."
"If I could be on the jury afterwards, I would certainly acquit themboth on the ground of extreme provocation."
Early on the following morning he was in a fidget, having fixed nohour for his visit to Holloway. It was not likely that she should beout or engaged, but he determined not to go till after lunch. Allemployment was out of the question, and he was rather a trouble tohis sister; but in the course of the morning there came a letterwhich did for a while occupy his thoughts. The envelope was addressedin a hand he did not know, and was absurdly addressed to the
"RIGHT HONOURABLE, THE LORD HAMPSTEAD."
"I wonder who this ass is," said he, tearing it open. The ass wasSamuel Crocker, and the letter was as follows;--
Heathcote Street, Mecklenburg Square, Christmas Day, 18--.
MY DEAR LORD HAMPSTEAD,
I hope I may be excused for addressing your lordship in this familiar manner. I take occasion of this happy day to write to your lordship on a message of peace. Since I had the honour of meeting you at your noble uncle's mansion, Castle Hautboy, I have considered it one of the greatest delights of my life to be able to boast of your acquaintance. You will not, I am sure, forget that we have been fellow sportsmen, and that we rode together on that celebrated run when we killed our fox in the field just over Airey Force. I shall never forget the occasion, or how well your lordship went over our rough country. To my mind there is no bond of union so strong as that of sport.
"Up strikes little Davy with his musical horn."
I am sure you will remember that, my lord, and the beautiful song to which it belongs. I remember, too, how, as we were riding home after the run, your lordship was talking all the way about our mutual friend, George Roden.
He is a man for whom I have a most sincere regard, both as being an excellent public servant, and as a friend of your lordship's. It is quite a pleasure to see the way in which he devotes himself to the service,--as I do also. When you have taken the Queen's shilling you ought to earn it. Those are my principles, my lord. We have a couple of young fellows there whose only object it is to get through the day and eat their lunches. I always tell them that official hours ain't their own. I suppose they'll understand me some day.
But as I was saying to your lordship about George Roden, there has something come up which I don't quite understand, which seems to have turned him against me. Nothing has ever given me so much pleasure as when I heard of his prospects as to a certain matter--which your lordship will know what I mean. Nothing could be more flattering than the way I've wished him joy ever so many times. So I do also your lordship and her ladyship, because he is a most respectable young man, though his station in life isn't so high as some people's. But a clerk in H. M. S. has always been taken for a gentleman which I am proud to think is my position as well as his.
But, as I was saying to your lordship, something seems to have gone against him as to our mutual friendship. He sits there opposite and won't speak a word to me, except just to answer a question, and that hardly civil. He is as sweet as sugar to those fellows who ain't at the same desk with him as I am,--or I should think it was his future prospects were making him upsetting. Couldn't your lordship do something to make things up between us again,--especially on this festive occasion? I'm sure your lordship will remember how pleasant we were together at Castle Hautboy, and at the hunt, and especially as we were riding home together on that day. I did take the liberty of calling at Hendon Hall, when her ladyship was kind enough to see me. Of course there was a delicacy in speaking to her ladyship about Mr. Roden, which nobody could understand better than I do; but I think she made me something of a promise that she would say a word when a proper time might come.
It could only have been a joke of mine; and I do joke sometimes, as your lordship may have observed. But I shouldn't think Roden would be the man to be mortally offended by anything of that sort. Anyway, I will leave the matter in your lordship's hands, merely remarking that,--as your lordship may remember,--"Blessed are the peace-makers, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."
I have the honour to be, My dear Lord Hampstead, Your lordship's most obedient, Very humble servant,
SAMUEL CROCKER.
Fretful and impatient as he was on that morning, it was impossiblefor Hampstead not to laugh at this letter. He showed it to hissister, who, in spite of her annoyance, was constrained to laughalso. "I shall tell George to take him to his bosom at once," saidhe.
"Why should George be bothered with him?"
"Because George can't help himself. They sit at the same desktogether, as Crocker has not forgotten to tell me a dozen times. Whena man perseveres in this way, and is thick-sk
inned enough to bear allrebuffs, there is nothing he will not accomplish. I have no doubthe will be riding my horses in Leicestershire before the seasonis over." An answer, however, was written to him in the followingwords;--
DEAR MR. CROCKER,
I am afraid I cannot interfere with Mr. Roden, who doesn't like to be dictated to in such matters.
Yours truly,
HAMPSTEAD.
"There," said he; "I do not think he can take that letter as a markof friendship."
In this way the morning was passed till the time came for the startto Holloway. Lady Frances, standing at the hall door as he got intohis trap, saw that the fashion of his face was unusually serious.