CHAPTER V.
The reappearance of the ladies at the end of the cloister terminatedthis conversation, the result of which was rather to confirm LordCadurcis in his resolution of instantly urging his suit, than thereverse. He ran forward to greet his friends with a smile, and tookhis place by the side of Venetia, whom, a little to her surprise, hecongratulated in glowing phrase on her charming costume. Indeed shelooked very captivating, with a pastoral hat, then much in fashion,and a dress as simple and as sylvan, both showing to admirableadvantage her long descending hair, and her agile and springy figure.
Cadurcis proposed that they should ramble over the abbey, he talked ofprojected alterations, as if he really had the power immediately toeffect them, and was desirous of obtaining their opinions before anychange was made. So they ascended the staircase which many yearsbefore Venetia had mounted for the first time with her mother, andentered that series of small and ill-furnished rooms in which Mrs.Cadurcis had principally resided, and which had undergone no change.The old pictures were examined; these, all agreed, never must move;and the new furniture, it was settled, must be in character with thebuilding. Lady Annabel entered into all the details with an interestand animation which rather amused Dr. Masham. Venetia listened andsuggested, and responded to the frequent appeals of Cadurcis to herjudgment with an unconscious equanimity not less diverting.
'Now here we really can do something,' said his lordship as theyentered the saloon, or rather refectory; 'here I think we may effectwonders. The tapestry must always remain. Is it not magnificent,Venetia? But what hangings shall we have? We must keep the old chairs,I think. Do you approve of the old chairs, Venetia? And what shall wecover them with? Shall it be damask? What do you think, Venetia? Doyou like damask? And what colour shall it be? Shall it be crimson?Shall it be crimson damask, Lady Annabel? Do you think Venetia wouldlike crimson damask? Now, Venetia, do give us the benefit of youropinion.'
Then they entered the old gallery; here was to be a greattransformation. Marvels were to be effected in the old gallery,and many and multiplied were the appeals to the taste and fancy ofVenetia.
'I think,' said Lord Cadurcis, 'I shall leave the gallery to bearranged when I am settled. The rooms and the saloon shall be done atonce, I shall give orders for them to begin instantly. Whom do yourecommend, Lady Annabel? Do you think there is any person at Southportwho could manage to do it, superintended by our taste? Venetia, whatdo you think?'
Venetia was standing at the window, rather apart from her companions,looking at the old garden. Lord Cadurcis joined her. 'Ah! it has beensadly neglected since my poor mother's time. We could not do much inthose days, but still she loved this garden. I must depend upon youentirely to arrange my garden, Venetia. This spot is sacred to you.You have not forgotten our labours here, have you, Venetia? Ah! thosewere happy days, and these shall be more happy still. This is yourgarden; it shall always be called Venetia's garden.'
'I would have taken care of it when you were away, but--'
'But what?' inquired Lord Cadurcis anxiously.
'We hardly felt authorised,' replied Venetia calmly. 'We came at firstwhen you left Cadurcis, but at last it did not seem that our presencewas very acceptable.'
'The brutes!' exclaimed Lord Cadurcis.
'No, no; good simple people, they were unused to orders from strangemasters, and they were perplexed. Besides, we had no right tointerfere.'
'No right to interfere! Venetia, my little fellow-labourer, noright to interfere! Why all is yours! Fancy your having no right tointerfere at Cadurcis!'
Then they proceeded to the park and wandered to the margin of thelake. There was not a spot, not an object, which did not recallsome adventure or incident of childhood. Every moment Lord Cadurcisexclaimed, 'Venetia! do you remember this?' 'Venetia! have youforgotten that?' and every time Venetia smiled, and proved howfaithful was her memory by adding some little unmentioned trait to thelively reminiscences of her companion.
'Well, after all,' said Lord Cadurcis with a sigh, 'my poor mother wasa strange woman, and, God bless her! used sometimes to worry me outof my senses! but still she always loved you. No one can deny that.Cherbury was a magic name with her. She loved Lady Annabel, and sheloved you, Venetia. It ran in the blood, you see. She would be happy,quite happy, if she saw us all here together, and if she knew--'
'Plantagenet,' said Lady Annabel, 'you must build a lodge at thisend of the park. I cannot conceive anything more effective than anentrance from the Southport road in this quarter.'
'Certainly, Lady Annabel, certainly we must build a lodge. Do not youthink so, Venetia?'
'Indeed I think it would be a great improvement,' replied Venetia;'but you must take care to have a lodge in character with the abbey.'
'You shall make a drawing for it,' said Lord Cadurcis; 'it shall bebuilt directly, and it shall be called Venetia Lodge.'
The hours flew away, loitering in the park, roaming in the woods. Theymet Mistress Pauncefort and her friends loaded with plunder, and theyoffered to Venetia a trophy of their success; but when Venetia, merelyto please their kind hearts, accepted their tribute with cordiality,and declared there was nothing she liked better, Lord Cadurcis wouldnot be satisfied unless he immediately commenced nutting, and eachmoment he bore to Venetia the produce of his sport, till in time shecould scarcely sustain the rich and increasing burden. At length theybent their steps towards home, sufficiently wearied to look forwardwith welcome to rest and their repast, yet not fatigued, andexhilarated by the atmosphere, for the sun was now in its decline,though in this favoured season there were yet hours enough remainingof enchanting light.
In the refectory they found, to the surprise of all but their host, abanquet. It was just one of those occasions when nothing isexpected and everything is welcome and surprising; when, from theunpremeditated air generally assumed, all preparation startles andpleases; when even ladies are not ashamed to eat, and formalityappears quite banished. Game of all kinds, teal from the lake,and piles of beautiful fruit, made the table alike tempting andpicturesque. Then there were stray bottles of rare wine disinterredfrom venerable cellars; and, more inspiriting even than the choicewine, a host under the influence of every emotion, and swayed by everycircumstance that can make a man happy and delightful. Oh! they werevery gay, and it seemed difficult to believe that care or sorrow,or the dominion of dark or ungracious passions, could ever disturbsympathies so complete and countenances so radiant.
At the urgent request of Cadurcis, Venetia sang to them; and while shesang, the expression of her countenance and voice harmonising with thearch hilarity of the subject, Plantagenet for a moment believed thathe beheld the little Venetia of his youth, that sunny child so fullof mirth and grace, the very recollection of whose lively and brightexistence might enliven the gloomiest hour and lighten the heaviestheart.
Enchanted by all that surrounded him, full of hope, and joy, andplans of future felicity, emboldened by the kindness of the daughter,Cadurcis now ventured to urge a request to Lady Annabel, and therequest was granted, for all seemed to feel that it was a day on whichnothing was to be refused to their friend. Happy Cadurcis! The childhad a holiday, and it fancied itself a man enjoying a triumph. Incompliance, therefore, with his wish, it was settled that they shouldall walk back to the hall; even Dr. Masham declared he was competentto the exertion, but perhaps was half entrapped into the declarationby the promise of a bed at Cherbury. This consent enchanted Cadurcis,who looked forward with exquisite pleasure to the evening walk withVenetia.