CHAPTER II.
'Well, Pauncefort,' said Lord Cadurcis, smiling, as he renewed hisacquaintance with his old friend, 'I hope you have not forgotten mylast words, and have taken care of your young lady.'
'Oh! dear, my lord,' said Mistress Pauncefort, blushing and simpering.'Well to be sure, how your lordship has surprised us all! I thought wewere never going to see you again!'
'You know I told you I should return; and now I mean never to leaveyou again.'
'Never is a long word, my lord,' said Mistress Pauncefort, lookingvery archly.
'Ah! but I mean to settle, regularly to settle here,' said LordCadurcis.
'Marry and settle, my lord,' said Mistress Pauncefort, still morearch.
'And why not?' inquired Lord Cadurcis, laughing.
'That is just what I said last night,' exclaimed Mistress Pauncefort,eagerly. 'And why not? for I said, says I, his lordship must marrysooner or later, and the sooner the better, say I: and to be sure heis very young, but what of that? for, says I, no one can say he doesnot look quite a man. And really, my lord, saving your presence, youare grown indeed.'
'Pish!' said Lord Cadurcis, turning away and laughing, 'I have leftoff growing, Pauncefort, and all those sort of things.'
'You have not forgotten our last visit to Marringhurst?' said LordCadurcis to Venetia, as the comfortable mansion of the worthy Doctorappeared in sight.
'I have forgotten nothing,' replied Venetia with a faint smile; 'I donot know what it is to forget. My life has been so uneventful thatevery past incident, however slight, is as fresh in my memory as if itoccurred yesterday.'
'Then you remember the strawberries and cream?' said Lord Cadurcis.
'And other circumstances less agreeable,' he fancied Venetia observed,but her voice was low.
'Do you know, Lady Annabel,' said Lord Cadurcis, 'that I was verynearly riding my pony to-day? I wish to bring back old times with theutmost possible completeness; I wish for a moment to believe that Ihave never quitted Cherbury.'
'Let us think only of the present now,' said Lady Annabel in acheerful voice, 'for it is very agreeable. I see the good Doctor; hehas discovered us.'
'I wonder whom he fancies Lord Cadurcis to be?' said Venetia.
'Have you no occasional cavalier for whom at a distance I may bemistaken?' inquired his lordship in a tone of affected carelessness,though in truth it was an inquiry that he made not without anxiety.
'Everything remains here exactly as you left it,' replied LadyAnnabel, with some quickness, yet in a lively tone.
'Happy Cherbury!' exclaimed Lord Cadurcis. 'May it indeed neverchange!'
They rode briskly on; the Doctor was standing at his gate. He salutedLady Annabel and Venetia with his accustomed cordiality, and thenstared at their companion as if waiting for an introduction.
'You forget an old friend, my dear Doctor,' said Cadurcis.
'Lord Cadurcis!' exclaimed Dr. Masham. His lordship had by this timedismounted and eagerly extended his hand to his old tutor.
Having quitted their horses they all entered the house, nor was therenaturally any want of conversation. Cadurcis had much information togive and many questions to answer. He was in the highest spiritsand the most amiable mood; gay, amusing, and overflowing withkind-heartedness. The Doctor seldom required any inspiration, to bejoyous, and Lady Annabel was unusually animated. Venetia alone, thoughcheerful, was calmer than pleased Cadurcis. Time, he sorrowfullyobserved, had occasioned a greater change in her manner than he couldhave expected. Youthful as she still was, indeed but on the thresholdof womanhood, and exempted, as it seemed she had been, from anythingto disturb the clearness of her mind, that enchanting play of fancywhich had once characterised her, and which he recalled with a sigh,appeared in a great degree to have deserted her. He watched hercountenance with emotion, and, supremely beautiful as it undeniablywas, there was a cast of thoughtfulness or suffering impressed uponthe features which rendered him mournful he knew not why, and causedhim to feel as if a cloud had stolen unexpectedly over the sun andmade him shiver.
But there was no time or opportunity for sad reflections; he had torenew his acquaintance with all the sights and curiosities of therectory, to sing to the canaries, and visit the gold fish, admire thestuffed fox, and wonder that in the space of five years the voraciousotter had not yet contrived to devour its prey. Then they refreshedthemselves after their ride with a stroll in the Doctor's garden;Cadurcis persisted in attaching himself to Venetia, as in old days,and nothing would prevent him from leading her to the grotto. LadyAnnabel walked behind, leaning on the Doctor's arm, narrating, with nofear of being heard, all the history of their friend's return.
'I never was so surprised in my life,' said the Doctor; 'he is vastlyimproved; he is quite a man; his carriage is very finished.'
'And his principles,' said Lady Annabel. 'You have no idea, my dearDoctor, how right his opinions seem to be on every subject. He hasbeen brought up in a good school; he does his guardian great credit.He is quite loyal and orthodox in all his opinions; ready to risk hislife for our blessed constitution in Church and State. He requested,as a favour, that he might remain at our prayers last night. It isdelightful for me to see him turn out so well!'
In the meantime Cadurcis and Venetia entered the grotto.
'The dear Doctor!' said Cadurcis: 'five years have brought no visiblechange even to him; perhaps he may be a degree less agile, but I willnot believe it. And Lady Annabel; it seems to me your mother is moreyouthful and beautiful than ever. There is a spell in our air,'continued his lordship, with a laughing eye; 'for if we have changed,Venetia, ours is, at least, an alteration that bears no sign of decay.We are advancing, but they have not declined; we are all enchanted.'
'I feel changed,' said Venetia gravely.
'I left you a child and I find you a woman,' said Lord Cadurcis, 'achange which who can regret?'
'I would I were a child again,' said Venetia.
'We were happy,' said Lord Cadurcis, in a thoughtful tone; and then inan inquiring voice he added, 'and so we are now?'
Venetia shook her head.
'Can you be unhappy?'
'To be unhappy would be wicked,' said Venetia; 'but my mind has lostits spring.'
'Ah! say not so, Venetia, or you will make even me gloomy. I am happy,positively happy. There must not be a cloud upon your brow.'
'You are joyous,' said Venetia, 'because you are excited. It is thenovelty of return that animates you. It will wear off; you will growweary, and when you go to the university you will think yourself happyagain.'
'I do not intend to go to the university,' said Cadurcis.
'I understood from you that you were going there immediately.'
'My plans are changed,' said Cadurcis; 'I do not intend ever to leavehome again.'
'When you go to Cambridge,' said Dr. Masham, who just then reachedthem, 'I shall trouble you with a letter to an old friend of minewhose acquaintance you may find valuable.'
Venetia smiled; Cadurcis bowed, expressed his thanks, and mutteredsomething about talking over the subject with the Doctor.
After this the conversation became general, and at length they allreturned to the house to partake of the Doctor's hospitality, whopromised to dine at the hall on the morrow. The ride home wasagreeable and animated, but the conversation on the part of the ladieswas principally maintained by Lady Annabel, who seemed every momentmore delighted with the society of Lord Cadurcis, and to sympathiseevery instant more completely with his frank exposition of hisopinions on all subjects. When they returned to Cherbury, Cadurcisremained with them as a matter of course. An invitation was neitherexpected nor given. Not an allusion was made to the sports of thefield, to enjoy which was the original purpose of his visit to theabbey; and he spoke of to-morrow as of a period which, as usual, wasto be spent entirely in their society. He remained with them, as onthe previous night, to the latest possible moment. Although reservedin society, no one could be more fluent with those with whom he wasperf
ectly unembarrassed. He was indeed exceedingly entertaining, andLady Annabel relaxed into conversation beyond her custom. As forVenetia, she did not speak often, but she listened with interest, andwas evidently amused. When Cadurcis bade them good-night Lady Annabelbegged him to breakfast with them; while Venetia, serene, though kind,neither seconded the invitation, nor seemed interested one way or theother in its result.