CHAPTER XV
Somehow or other, Celia was relieved that she was not asked to dine withthe family; for she had feared that she might have to do so. She had herdinner in her own room as usual, and afterwards went into the library todo a little work; but she had scarcely commenced when she heard a knockat the door, and a fashionably-dressed young woman entered. As she rose,Celia knew that it was Lord Heyton's wife, and she regarded thebeautiful face and exquisitely-clad figure with all a woman's admirationfor a lovely specimen of her own sex.
"Oh, may I come in?" said Lady Heyton. "I shan't disturb you, MissGrant? I do so want to see you. The Marquess has been telling us aboutyou. What a handsome room! May I sit down--you're sure I shan't disturbyou, be a nuisance?"
"Oh, no," replied Celia, pushing forward one of the antique butcomfortable chairs.
Lady Heyton seated herself, looked round her, and then fixed her eyes onCelia's face, curiously.
"And so you are the lady librarian; and this is where you work? Howcharming! Why didn't you come in to dinner to-night?" she asked,abruptly.
"I dine alone, in that room," replied Celia, colouring slightly.
"How quaint!" remarked Lady Heyton, with a little shrug. "I shall askthe Marquess whether you can't dine with us; you will be company for me.It was rather dull this evening, and I was terribly bored. It's thefirst time I've been here, you know; the first time I've seen theMarquess, in fact. Don't you find this great big place rather--ratherdepressing?" She gave a little shudder, and held out her ring-ladenhands towards the fire. "I suppose it's because the house is so old, andthere are so few people in it.--But tell me about yourself. You're veryyoung, and--yes, you're exceedingly good-looking. Do you mind my tellingyou so?"
"Not at all," said Celia, with a smile. "I wish the information was asaccurate as it is candid. No, I don't find the house dull. I'm verybusy, you see."
"Ah, that makes a difference, I suppose," said Miriam, leaning back andbarely concealing a yawn with her hand. "I'm afraid I shall be bored todeath if we stay here long. You know, I've only been married a shorttime, and I hate being bothered."
Celia noted the petulant droop of the almost perfect lips, the faintlines of weariness which trailed from the corners of them, noted theweakness of the chin, the restlessness of the blue eyes which shone likeamethysts in the firelight; it was evident to Celia that this beautiful,graceful young creature was not a happy woman. She did not know howmuch, since her marriage, Miriam had deteriorated, mentally andspiritually. One cannot touch pitch and escape undefiled.
"Oh, I've no doubt you'll find plenty to amuse you," she said. "Thecountry is delightful----"
"Oh, I'm rather fed up with the country," said Lady Heyton. "I've livedin it all my life, you see--one of a poor country parson's superfluousdaughters. Oh, I've had enough of muddy lanes and stupid local people.Give me London--and life. One doesn't _live_ in the country, one onlyexists, like a vegetable. Do you like my dress?" she asked, with herirrelevant abruptness; and she cast a complacent eye down herexquisitely-clad figure.
"It is a very beautiful one," said Celia.
"Paris. The worst of Paris is that, once you have had it, everythingelse seems dowdy. By the way, that's a very pretty frock you'rewearing," she added, with an appraising glance.
"I'm glad you like it," said Celia, laughing. "I made it myself."
"Really! How clever you must be! Oh, of course, in the old days I'vemade dresses myself; but they were always sights. Yes; you must be veryclever; you have good taste, evidently. I've got a maid who's a perfectfool; perhaps, sometimes, you won't mind giving her a hint or lendingher a hand?"
"Why, I should be very pleased to do so," said Celia; "though I'm afraidshe will not consider my advice or assistance of any great value, LadyHeyton."
"How nicely you said that!" said Miriam, again looking up at Celia,curiously. She possessed intelligence enough to discern, at the firstglance, that Celia was not the common, ordinary type of girl she hadexpected to see; but the repose of Celia's attitude, the timbre of hervoice, were making their due impression. "But, of course, you wouldspeak nicely, having to do with books and all that sort of thing. Do youlike the Marquess?" she asked, slipping off to another subject, with herusual irrelevance. "He is very stern and grim; and I must confess I'malmost afraid of him. He is quite different from Percy; they're scarcelylike father and son--I mean my husband, of course."
"I don't think the Marquess is very stern or hard," said Celia,musingly. "I have only spoken to him once, but he seemed very kind," sheadded, with a certain hesitation; for she remembered that he had beensomewhat stern in the matter of the portrait.
"Oh, I dare say it's only his manner," said Lady Heyton; "and I supposeI'm not a favoured person. You see, he was opposed to our marriage: poorparson's daughter, you know."
Celia coloured with embarrassment; it seemed to her that this beautifulyoung woman was without reserve, and that her remark had been in verybad taste; but Celia was always ready to make allowances and look on thebest side of people, so she said, gently:
"I dare say you will grow to like him. He is sure to like you."
"Think so?" said Miriam. "Well, I hope he will; he ought to like hisdaughter-in-law; and I mean to make him, if I can. I want to keep thepeace between him and Percy; they haven't been the best of friends, as Idare say you've heard. Did you cut that dress from a paper pattern, orhow?"
"You've guessed correctly," said Celia, laughing. "It was cut from apaper pattern, given away with a popular magazine."
"Well, it fits awfully well. And there's a style about it; it's quite_chic_. Oh, you really must give a hint or two to that idiot of a Marie.What society is there here? I thought, as we drove from the station,that the place looked awfully dull and quiet. By the way," she went on,without waiting for her question to be answered, "didn't I see youstanding at one of the cottages as we drove past?"
"Yes," said Celia. "I had been calling on a friend."
"A friend," repeated Lady Heyton, raising her brows, languidly. "Do youmean the woman with the baby? I thought she looked quite a common,ordinary sort of person."
"I should scarcely call Susie common," said Celia, with a smile. "I likeher very much."
"Do you? How quaint! This fire is very jolly. Do you always have onehere?" asked her ladyship, as if her volatile mind had forgotten thelast subject of the conversation.
Celia told her that the fire was lit every evening, and Lady Heyton,rising with a yawn, remarked that she should often drop in for a warm;the rest of the house seemed to her chilly. Celia gave the requiredinvitation, and Lady Heyton stood looking about her vacantly, and as ifshe were waiting for the volition to go.
"I say; do tell me your name?" she said, languidly.
Celia told her.
"Awfully pretty name. Mine's Miriam; ridiculously unsuitable, don't youthink? So hard and cold; and I'm anything but that. Pity one can'tchoose one's own name! Do you mind if I call you 'Celia'? 'Miss Grant'is so stiff."
"Oh, not at all," said Celia.
"Thanks very much. What's that?" she asked, starting, her hand going toher bosom, her brows coming together nervously.
The sound of voices, not in actual altercation, but something very nearit, came from the hall.
"It's the Marquess and Percy," said Miriam, in a low and frightenedvoice. "Oh, I do hope they're not quarrelling. I warned Percy. Hush!Listen!"
She stole to the door and opened it slightly, and Celia heard theMarquess say:
"I have promised. The money shall be paid; but I warn you, Percy, theremust be an end to this wicked and foolish extravagance. I say there mustbe an end to it. I do not want to threaten you, but----"
"Threaten!" came the younger man's voice, which was almost insolent andrather thick, as if he had been drinking too much wine. "No, I don'tsuppose you do. After all, I've got to live. I'm your son----"
"Do not hesitate," said the Marquess. "You would add, my heir. I do notforget it. But do not count too much on the fac
t. I say to you, do notcount too much on it. Percy!" His tone changed to a pleading one. "ForHeaven's sake, take heed to what I say. Do not try me too much. Thereare reasons----"
His voice broke and ceased; with a glance at Celia and a shrug, LadyHeyton opened the door widely, and went into the hall.
"I have been making the acquaintance of Miss Grant," Celia heard hersay, with an affectation of casualness. "Are you two going into thesmoking-room; may I come with you? I shall feel so lonely in that big,solemn drawing-room."
"Miss Grant in there?" said Lord Heyton, with a nod towards the library."I should like to make her acquaintance, too."
He took a step towards the door; but Celia closed it and went quicklyinto the room beyond; and soon afterwards, when the coast was clear,went up to her own room.