Chapter 5.
"It is little more than two years and a half since I left,Lechmere, but it seems almost a lifetime."
"It does seem a time, Major. We must have marched thousands ofmiles, and I could not say how many times we have been engaged.There has not been a week that we have not had a fight, andsometimes two or three of them."
"Well, thank God, we are back again. Still I am glad to have beenthrough it."
"So am I, sir. It will be something to look back on, and it iscurious to think that while we have been seeing and doing so much,father and my brother Bob have just been going about over the farm,and seeing to the cattle, and looking after the animals day in andday out, without ever going away save to market two or three timesa month at Chippenham."
"And you have quite made up your mind to stay with me, Lechmere?"
"Quite, sir. Short of your turning me out, there is nothing thatwould get me away from you. No one could be happier than I havebeen, ever since I rejoined after that wound. It has not been likemaster and servant, sir. You have just treated me as if you hadbeen the squire and I had been your tenant's son, and that nothinghad ever come between us. You have made a man of me again, and Ionly wish that I had more opportunities of showing you how I feelit."
"You have had opportunities enough, and you have made the most ofthem. You were by my side when I entered that house where therewere a score of desperate rebels, and it would have gone hard withus if aid had not come up. You stood over me when I was knockeddown by that charge of rebel cavalry, and got half a dozen woundsbefore the Hussars swept down and drove them back."
"I was well paid for that, sir," the man said with a smile.
"Yes, you got the Victoria Cross, and no man ever won it morefairly. But, after all, it was not so much by such things as thesethat you showed your feelings, Lechmere, as by your constant andfaithful service, and by the care with which you looked after me.Still, as I told you before, I don't like standing in your way. Inthe natural course of things you would have had your father's farm,and there is now no reason why you should not go back there."
"No, sir. Since we heard that that poor girl came back home anddied, there is no reason why I should not go back to the old place,but I don't like to. Two years of such a life as we have beenleading does not fit one for farm work. Brother Bob stopped andtook my place while I went soldiering, and even if I were willingto go back to it, which I am not, it would not be fair to him forme to step in just as if nothing had happened. But, anyhow, I shallbe glad to be back again at the old place and see them all. Fatherand mother will know now that they suspected me wrongly. But theywere not to blame. Mad as I was then, I might have done it if I hadhad the chance."
"Well, Lechmere, you know well that I shall be always glad to haveyou with me as long as you are willing to stay. Perhaps the timewill come when you may wish to make a home for yourself, and youmay be sure that the first farm on the estate that falls vacantshall be yours, or, as that does not very often happen, I will seethat you get a good one somewhere in the neighbourhood."
The man shook his head, and without answering went on unpacking hismaster's portmanteau. They were at the Hummums Hotel, in CoventGarden, and had arrived half an hour before by the evening train,having come overland from Marseilles.
Two years' soldiering had greatly altered George Lechmere. He hadlost the heavy step caused by tramping over ploughed fields, andwas a well set-up, alert and smart-looking soldier; and althoughnow in civilian clothes--for his master had bought him out of theservice when he sent in his own papers--no one could avoid seeingthat he had served, for in addition to the military carriage therewas the evidence of two deep scars on his face, the handiwork ofthe mutineers' sabres on the day when he had stood over his mastersurrounded by rebel horse. His complexion was deeply bronzed by thesun, and there was that steady but watchful expression in his eyesthat is characteristic of men who have gone through long anddangerous service.
"I shall stay two or three days in town," Major Mallett said. "Imust get an entire refit before I go down. You had better comeround with me to the tailor's tomorrow, the first thing afterbreakfast. You will want three or four suits, too."
"Yes, sir. And besides, they would like to know down there when youare coming home. They are sure to want to give you a welcome."
"And you, too, Lechmere. I am sure that all your old friends willgive you as hearty a welcome as they will give me. Indeed, it oughtto be a good deal heartier, for you have been living among them allyour life, while I have been away for the most part ever since Iwas a boy."
Four days later they went down to Chippenham. Mr. Norton, thesteward, was on the platform when the train came in.
"Welcome home again, sir," he said warmly, as Frank stepped fromthe carriage. "We were all glad, indeed, when we heard that youwere back safe, and were coming down among us."
"I am glad enough to be back again, Norton," Frank Mallett said; ashe shook the man's hand. "We had warm work of it for a bit, but atthe end, when the excitement was over, one got pretty tired of it.
"This is George Lechmere, Norton," the Major said, as he went alongwith the agent to where George was standing with the pile ofluggage. "You have heard how gallantly he behaved, and how he savedmy life at the risk of his own."
"How are you, George?" the agent said, as he shook hands with him."I should hardly have known you. Indeed, I am sure I should nothave done so if I had met you in the street. You seem to have growntaller and altogether different."
"I have lost flesh a bit, Mr. Norton, and I have learnt to standupright, and I shall be some time before I get rid of this paintthe sun has given me."
"Yes, you are as brown as a berry, George. We saw in the gazetteabout your getting the Victoria Cross in saving the squire's life.I can tell you every man on the estate felt proud of you.
"Are you ready to be off, sir?"
"Yes. I suppose you have got the dog cart outside, as I asked you?"
"Well, no, sir," the agent said, in a tone of some embarrassment."You see the tenants had made up their minds that you ought to comein a different sort of style, and so without asking me about itthey ordered an open carriage to be here to meet you. I knewnothing about it until last night. The dog cart is here and willtake up your luggage."
"Well, I suppose it cannot be helped," Mallett laughed. "Of course,they meant it kindly."
"I will see the luggage got in the dog cart, and come over withit," Lechmere said.
"You can see it into the dog cart, George, but you must come withme. I have got to put up with it, and you must, too."
He stood chatting with Mr. Norton on the platform till Georgereturned, and said that the luggage was all packed, and that thedog cart had gone on ahead. There was an amused look on his face,which was explained when, on going out, Mallett found an opencarriage with four horses, with postilions in new purple silkjackets and orange caps, and large rosettes of the same colour atthe horses' heads.
"Bless me," said the Major, in a tone of dismay. "I shall feel asif I were a candidate for the county."
"They are the family colours, you see, sir."
"Yes, I know, Norton, and the Conservative colours, too. Well, itcannot be helped, and it does not make much difference after all.
"There will be no fuss when I get there I hope, Norton," he wenton, as he took his place, and Lechmere climbed up into the seatbehind.
"Well, sir," the agent said, apologetically, "there is an arch ortwo. You see, the tenants wanted to do the thing properly, and theschool children will be on the lawn, and there are going to be somebonfires in the evening, and they have got a big box of fireworksdown from London. Why, sir, it would be strange if they did notgive you a welcome after going through all that, and being woundedthree times and getting so much credit. Why, it wouldn't beEnglish, sir."
"I suppose it's all right," Mallett said, resignedly; "and, indeed,Norton, one cannot help being pleased at seeing one's tenants gladto have one home again."
In h
alf-an-hour's drive they arrived at the boundary of the estate.Here an arch had been erected, and a score of the tenants andtenants' sons, assembled on horseback, gave a loud cheer as thecarriage drove up, and as it died away one shouted:
"Why, that is George Lechmere behind. Give him a cheer, too!" andagain a hearty shout went up.
The carriage stopped, and Major Mallett said a few words, thankingthem heartily for the welcome they had given him, and assuring themwhat pleasure it was to him to be back again.
"I thank you, also," he concluded, "for the cheer that you havegiven to my faithful comrade and friend, George Lechmere. As youall know, he saved my life at the risk of his own, and has receivedthe greatest honour a soldier can gain--the Victoria Cross. Youhave a good right to be proud of him, as one of yourselves, and togive him a hearty welcome."
The carriage then drove on again, the farmers riding close behindas an escort. At the entrance of the drive up to the house anotherand larger arch had been erected. Here the rest of the tenants andthe women were collected, and there was another hearty greeting,and another speech from Mallett.
Then they drove up to the house, where a number of the gentry hadassembled to welcome him. After shaking hands and chatting withthese for a short time, Frank went round among the tenants, sayinga few words to each. When he had done this he invited them all to adinner on the lawn that day week, and then went into the house,where the steward had prepared a meal.
Among the familiar faces, Frank missed those he would most gladlyhave seen. He had a year before received a letter from LadyGreendale, telling him of Sir John's sudden death, and had learnedfrom the steward during the drive that she and her daughter were inLondon.
"They went there a month ago," he said. "A year had passed afterSir John's death, and people say that it is not likely that theywill be much at home again for some time. Lady Greendale has highconnections in London, as you know, sir."
"Yes, she was a daughter of Lord Huntinglen, Norton."
"Yes, sir. They always went up to town for the season; and they sayLady Greendale liked London better than the country; and now thatMiss Bertha is out--for she was presented at Court a fortnightago--people think they won't be much down at Greendale for thepresent."
"Has Miss Greendale grown up pretty? I thought she would, but, ofcourse, when I went away she was only a girl, not fully developed."
"She is a beautiful young lady, sir. Everyone says she is quite thebelle of the county. Folks reckon she will make a great match. Sheis very well liked, too; pleasant and nice without a bit of prideabout her, and very high spirited; and, I should say, full of fun,though of course the place has been pretty well shut up for thelast year. For four months after Sir John's death they went awaytravelling, and were only at home for a few weeks before they wentup to London the other day, in time for the first Drawing Room."
"I suppose we shall not see much of you for a time, Mallett?" oneof his friends said, as they sat at luncheon.
"No, I don't suppose I shall be able to settle down for a bit.After the life I have led, I am afraid that I shall find the timehang heavily on my hands, alone here."
"You must bring home a wife, Major Mallett," one of the ladiessaid.
"That is looking quite into the dim future, Mrs. Herbert," helaughed. "You see, since I first went on active service I have beenremoved altogether from feminine attractions. Of course I have beenthinking it over, but for the present my inclination turns towardsyachting. I have always been fond of the water, and had a strongwish to go to sea when I was a boy, but that aspiration was notencouraged. However, I can follow my bent now. Norton has beenpiling up money for me in my absence, and I can afford myself theluxury of a big yacht. Of course I shall be in no hurry about it. Ishall either build or buy a biggish craft, for racing in summer,and cruising in winter."
"That means that you won't be here at all, Major Mallett."
"Oh, no, it does not mean that, I can assure you. I shall run downfor a month three or four times a year; say for shooting inSeptember or October, and for hunting a month or two later on;besides, I have to renew my acquaintance with my tenants and seethat everything is going on comfortably. I expect that I shallspend four or five months every year on the estate."
"Till you settle down for good?"
"Yes, till I settle down for good," he laughed. "I suppose it willhave to be someday."
"Then you don't think of passing much time in London, Mallett?"
"No, indeed. Fortunately my father sold his town house three yearsago. He did not care about going up, and of course it was of no useto me. I have never had any opportunities for society, and mypresent idea is that it would bore me horribly. But I'll dare saythat I shall be there for a month or so in the season.
"Of course, there is my club to go to, and plenty of men one knows;but even if I had a longing for society, I know no one in what aretermed fashionable circles, and so should be outside what is calledthe world."
"Oh, you would soon get over that, Major Mallett. Why, LadyGreendale would introduce you everywhere."
"It is not likely I shall trouble her to do that," Mallettanswered.
Frank had told George Lechmere that, as soon as they arrived, hewould be at liberty to go off at once to his father and mother.
"Stay as long as you like," he said. "I shall get on very wellwithout you for a few days."
"I shall come up again tonight, sir, and get your things brushedand your bath ready in the morning. I should not be comfortable ifI did not do that. Then after breakfast, if you do not want me, Ican go to the farm for a few hours. Of course I shall have lots totell the old people about India. But for that I don't know what Ishould do to pass the time away, with no work on hand."
"Oh, you will have your old friends to look up, George. After beingover two years on service, you have a right to a month's leave. Asyou have got your six months' batta in hand, besides your savings,you have enough cash to go on with; but when you want money, youknow that you have only to speak to me."
"I have a good bit, sir. I have scarcely spent a penny since Ijoined, and in the two years have laid by a nice little sum.Besides, we all picked up a bit. Most of those native chiefs andtheir followers had money or jewels about them, and all of us gotsomething; some good prizes. So one way or another I have made asmuch or more in the two years' soldiering as I should have done intwo years' farming; but if I had not above a few shillings in mypocket, I should do well here, for I have no occasion to spend anymoney with all my friends wanting me to go round to see them andtell them of our doings."
"Found everything going on satisfactorily at home, George?"
"Yes, sir, all well. Bob has turned out a great help to my father.I was sure he would do well when he got the chance. Of course, solong as I was there he had not much responsibility, but I could seethen that he would make a good farmer. Things have been going onjust as well as when I was at home."
"Are you going over there now?"
"Not until after breakfast, sir, anyhow. I told them that I mightlook in some time in the morning, but that I could not say whetheryou might want me for anything."
"No, I shan't want you at all, George. I told you so yesterday.However, after breakfast I will walk over to the farm with you. Ionly had time for a word with your father yesterday, but I told himthat I would come over to see them sometime today."
Accordingly, after an hour's talk with his agent, Frank Mallettwalked over to the farm with George. The latter's father and motherwere both in the house, an unusual thing at that time of day withthe former, but he had said at breakfast to his son:
"You must look after things by yourself today, lad. The Squire saidyesterday that he would come over sometime, and I would not be outwhen he came, not for a twenty pound note."
He and his wife came to the door when they saw Frank coming acrossthe field towards the house.
"Well, Lechmere," the latter said, when he came up. "I am glad tosee you and your dame looking so well and hearty. I had not time to
say more than a word to you yesterday, and I wanted to have acomfortable talk with you both. I wrote you a line telling you howgallantly George had behaved, and how he had saved my life; but Ihad to write the day afterwards, and my head was still ringing fromthe sabre cut that had for a time knocked all the sense out of me,and therefore I had to cut it very short. How gallantly he defendedmy life against a dozen of the enemy's cavalry was shown by thefact that he received the Victoria Cross, and I can tell you thatsuch an immense number of brave deeds were performed during theMutiny that George's must be considered an extraordinary act ofbravery to have obtained for him that honour."
By this time they had entered the farmhouse parlour. George had notfollowed them in, but on inquiring where he was likely to find Bob,had gone off to join him.
"I was proud to hear it at the time, Squire; and when it was in thepapers that our George had got the Victoria Cross, and all ourneighbours came in to congratulate us, we felt prouder still. Up tothe time when we got your letter, we did not know for sure where hewas. He had said he meant to enlist, and from the humour that hewas in when he went away we guessed it to be in some regiment wherehe could get to the wars. We felt the more glad, as you may guess,from the fact that both the Missus and I had wronged him in ourthoughts. We learnt that before we got the news, and it was notuntil we knew that we had been wrong that either of us opened ourlips about it, though each of us knew what the other thought."
"I know what you mean, Lechmere. He told me all about it."
"Well, Squire, you may be sure, when we knew that we had wrongedhim, how the wife and I fretted that we did not know where to writeto, nor how to set about finding out where he was, and so you canguess how pleased we were when we heard from you that he was withyour regiment, and that he had saved your life at the risk of hisown.
"We did not know then, Squire, that if he had had twenty lives hewould have done right to have risked them all for you. He told usthe whole story yesterday--just to mother, me and Bob. I can't tellyou yet, Squire, what we thought of it. I do not know that I shallever be able to tell you, and we shall never cease to thank thegood Lord for saving George from being a murderer in his madness--amurderer of our own Squire--and to bless you, Major, that youshould not only have forgiven him and kept his crime from everyone,but should have taken him in hand, as he says, as if it had neverhappened."
"There was no occasion for him to have said anything about it,Lechmere. He was undoubtedly more or less mad at the time. Upon thewhole, I think that the affair has made him a better man. Up to thetime when he saved my life, he did his duty as a soldier well, andwas a most devoted servant to me, but the weight of this businesspressed heavily upon him, and in spite of all I could say he heldhimself aloof as much as possible from his comrades; but after thathe changed altogether. He felt, as he told me, that God would nothave given him this opportunity of saving the life that he had sonearly taken had He not forgiven him, and his spirits rose, andwhile before he certainly was not popular among his comrades--areserved man never is--he became a general favourite.
"The officers, of course, showed a good deal of interest in himafter what he had done. He could have been a sergeant in the courseof a month, but he refused corporal's stripes when they wereoffered to him on the day after the battle, saying that hepreferred remaining with me, though the Colonel told him that,after what he had done, he would stand a good chance of promotion,after two or three years' service, as a sergeant. He told me thathe knew his jealous disposition had been a sort of trouble to you;but I am sure that he will never worry you in that way again. Ibelieve that he is now thoroughly master of himself, and that eventhe man who wrought that foul wrong need not fear him."
"You heard, sir, that the poor girl came home and died?"
"Yes. He told me when he heard the news from you."
"She never said who did it, sir, but from other things that cameout there is no doubt who it was."
"He told me, Lechmere, but I stopped him short. I did not wish toknow. I had my suspicions, but I did not want to have themconfirmed. The fellow I suspect is no friend of mine, and I don'twant to know anything about him. If I were certain of it, I couldnot meet him without telling him my opinion of him."
"You are not likely to meet him here, Squire. A year ago hehappened to be over at Chippenham one market day. There were adozen of us there, and I can tell you we gave him such a receptionthat he mounted his horse and rode straight on again. If he hadn't,I believe that we should have horsewhipped him through the town.Three months afterwards his estate was put up for sale, and he hasnever been down in this part of the country since; not that he wasever here much before. London suited him better. You see, hismother was, as I have heard, the daughter of a banker, and an onlychild; and even if he hadn't had the estate he would have been arich man. Anyhow, I am heartily glad that he has left the county."
"I, too, am glad that he has gone, Lechmere. I have not met him foryears, but if we had both been down here we must have run againsteach other sometimes, and after some matters that had passedbetween us years ago we could scarcely have met on friendly terms.However, as there is nothing beyond mere suspicion against him, hemay in this case be innocent. You see, I was suspected unjustlymyself, and the same thing may be the case with him."
"That is so, Squire; though I don't think that there is any mistakethis time. In fact, I believe she told her mother, though she keptit from her father for fear he would break the law. At any rate, itis a good thing he has gone; for he was a hard landlord, and therewas not a good word for him among his tenants."
"That makes the probability of a mistake all the more likely,"Frank said. "If I, who as a landlord, as far as I know, have givenno grounds for dislike to my tenants, was suspected unjustly; thiswould be still more likely to be the case with one who wasgenerally unpopular.
"And now, how has the farm been going on since I was away?"
"Just about as usual, Squire. Bob is not such a good judge ofhorses and cattle as George was, but in other respects I think heknows more. George did not care for reading, and Bob is always atthe papers and getting up the last things these scientific chapshave found out; so matters are pretty well squared. Altogether, Ihave no call to grumble, and I ain't likely, Squire, to have to askfor time on rent day. We were worried sorely about George as longas that matter hung over him; but since that was cleared up, and weheard of his having saved your life, we have been happy again. Wegot a big shock yesterday, however, when we heard what had happenedout there."
"Well, that is all past and over long ago, and we have none of usany cause to regret it. It has done George a great deal of good,and as for me, I might not be here now talking to you if it had nottaken place, for it was the memory of that which led George to thedesperate action which saved my life. Besides, you see, it hasgained for me an attached and faithful friend, for it is as afriend rather than as a servant that I regard your son."
"He will always be that, I am sure, Squire. He told us that you hadoffered to set him up on a farm, but he is quite right to say no. Idon't say that if it had been with somebody else, his mother and Imight not have felt rather sore that our eldest boy should havetaken to service; but, of course, it is different with you, Squire.It is only natural that a Lechmere should serve a Mallett, seeingthat our fathers have been your fathers' tenants for hundreds ofyears, so that even if all this had not happened we should not haveminded. As it is, we are proud that he is with you; and it seemsnatural that, after wandering about the world and fighting withthose black villains out there, he should never be content to go onas he was before, or to settle down to farming."
"It is like man like master, in this case," Mallett laughed. "AfterI have once been over the estate, and seen all the tenants, andlearned that everyone is satisfied and everything going on well, Ishall very soon begin to feel restless, and shall be running offsomewhere. You see, I have never been broken in to a country life.I have no idea of becoming an absentee; but I think a month or twotogether will be as much as I
can stand, at any rate as long as Iam a bachelor."
"That is just what I was saying, Squire," the farmer's wife said,speaking for the first time--for during the first portion of theconversation she had been crying quietly, and had since beenbusying herself in placing decanters and glasses and a hugehomemade cake on the table. "We all hope that you will soon bring amistress home. I said only this morning that you would never besettling down until you did.
"And now, will you take a glass of wine and a slice of cake,Squire?"
"Thank you, Mrs. Lechmere, I will; especially a piece of your cake.Many and many a slice of it have I had here when a boy, andfamously good it always was."
Major Mallett ate two big slices of cake, drank a glass of wine,and refusing the offer of a second glass, got up to go, saying:
"No, Mrs. Lechmere; I must not treat myself to another glass now. Iam going round to four or five other houses before I return tolunch, and I know that the tray will be put on the tableeverywhere. I can say that I have eaten so much cake here that Icannot eat more. But I know I shall have to drink a glass of wineat each place, and I can assure you that I am not accustomed totipple in the morning.
"Ah, here come your two sons across the fields. I will meet them atthe gate. If I were to begin a regular talk with Bob today, themorning would be gone."
"George has changed wonderfully," Mrs. Lechmere said, as theyaccompanied him to the gate. "It ain't his face so much, though heis well nigh as brown as that cake, but it is his figure. I shouldnot have known him if he had not come along with Bob. He walksaltogether different."
"It is the drilling, Mrs. Lechmere. Yes, it is wonderful how muchdrill does for a man; and there is a good deal in the cut of theclothes. You see, there is not much difference in the material, butGeorge's were made at a good tailor's in London, and I supposeBob's were made down here."
Mallett stayed for a few minutes chatting at the gate with Bob, andthen, saying that he would certainly come in again before he wentup to town, started on a round of calls.