says trulythat I should choose a profession; but which can I choose? I shouldhave preferred going to sea some years ago, but I am getting too old forthat, and though I have no objection to the army, yet it would take meaway for years, perhaps for long years, Mabel, and that I could notstand."
He looked affectionately into her face as he spoke.
"I should not wish you to go, Harry," she answered in a low voice, "andyet I know that it is right and manly to have a profession. I shouldnot like you to be in any better, yet it is so full of dangers that Ishould be very miserable."
"No, I see, I must live in the country and turn farmer," said Harry, asif a bright idea had struck him. "I have always been told that LadyTryon is sure to leave me all her property, and that must be sufficientfor all my wishes. However, when I go to London I will try and learnwhat profession is likely to suit me. I certainly don't wish to beidle; and the thought of winning you, and making a home fit for yourreception, will stimulate me to exertion."
"I shall be glad if it does."
A boat was moored near where they stood. Harry proposed to row Mabelround the lake. They looked very interesting as they two sat in theboat, Harry rowing, and Mabel smiling and talking cheerfully,occasionally catching at a water-lily.
They talked of Lucy. The theme was a sad one. Since the day of the_fete_ she had never been well. There was a colour in her cheek and abrightness in her eye, which alarmed her aunt. She communicated herfears to Mabel.
"But dear Lucy does not consider that she is in any danger, or she wouldnot urge my uncle to have the ball next week."
"Perhaps your aunt is unduly alarmed," said Harry, "Lucy seems in suchspirits that I cannot suppose there is any danger. I was in a greatfright at first, thinking that Lady Tryon would insist on going toLondon before the ball, but I am thankful to say she consents to staytill it is over. There is only one thing I don't like in these balls.I say, Mabel, you must not let those French officers flirt too much withyou. They are marquises and barons, to be sure; but after all, excepttheir pay, they have nothing to bless themselves with. Somehow orother, I never can like a foreigner as much as an Englishman."
"That is rather hard upon papa," said Mabel, looking up. "You know hismother was a foreigner. Did you not know that she was French?Grandpapa married, when he was a very young man, just as he was alieutenant, a French lady. She, too, was very young and very pretty."
"That I am sure she must have been," said Harry, looking up at Mabel.
"The story is a very sad one. Poor mamma died, I believe, when I wasborn, and grandpapa had just time to carry away his boy to England, andto place me with Aunt Ann, when he was obliged to go to sea. The littleI know of the early history of our family I have learnt from Aunt Ann."
They were nearing the shore when they heard a voice hailing them fromthe spot from which they set out. They soon reached a landing-place. Afine officer-like looking man was standing near it. Mabel sprang outand threw herself into his arms.
"Oh! papa, you have come back without giving us warning. Oh! dear, dearpapa, how happy you have made me!"
Captain Digby Everard returned his daughter's embrace. He lookedinquiringly at Harry, whom he did not recognise.
"This is Harry Tryon," she said. "You remember him as a boy; but he hasgrown a good deal since then." The Captain smiled.
"I am very happy to renew my acquaintance with him," he said, holdingout his hand, "and I am glad to see so accomplished an oarsman: it is apity that he has not been bred to the sea. However, perhaps it is nottoo late. Lord Cochrane did not go afloat till he was as old as Harryis, and he has already made a name for himself."
The Captain and his daughter walked on towards the house, she leaning onhis arm, and looking up, ever and anon, into his face as he spokeaffectionately to her.
Harry, thinking that the Captain might consider him intrusive, made hisadieus to Mabel and her father.
"Aunt Ann will want you to help her in preparing for the entertainment,"said Mabel, as she shook hands with him.
"And I should be happy to become better acquainted with you," added theCaptain, warmly shaking him by the hand.
Harry was becoming very popular in the neighbourhood: a good-lookingyoung man, with apparently ample means, is certain to be so, if he istolerably well behaved in other respects. People do not pry too closelyinto the character of youths of good fortune. Harry, however, wasunexceptionable. The banker and some of the tradesmen of Lyndertonmight have had their suspicions that Lady Tryon would not "cut up" aswell as was expected; but as they had had no quarrel with her grandson,they did not allow this idea to go forth to his detriment. Harry,therefore, dined as frequently out as at home. Indeed, the attractionsof Ayleston Hall were not very great, to his taste.
One day, however, she insisted upon his remaining and taking a_tete-a-tete_ dinner with her. Her eyes were weak, and she wanted himto read to her afterwards a new tale by Miss Burney. To that he had noobjection. It was very romantic, and suited his humour.
"Well, Harry, you must make your fortune some day by a wife," said theworldly old lady, "and really if you succeed with that pretty girl,Mabel Everard, you will do well. Under some circumstances I might nothave encouraged it; but as it is, I have an idea: you know Lucy's motherdied of consumption, and if Lucy dies the Captain becomes his uncle'sheir."
"But my mother died of consumption," answered Harry, who hated thethought of being mercenary; "I hope Lucy may live, and that I may havethe means of making a fortune to support a wife whenever I marry."
"Silly boy, fortunes are not so easily made," said the old lady, in avoice which sounded somewhat harsh to Harry's ear. "If you don't marrya fortune, there will probably be poverty and beggary in store for you.They are the most dreadful things in my opinion in this life. Be a wiselad, Harry, and try and win Mabel. You don't mean to say, boy, that youhave no wish to marry her?"
Harry hesitated to acknowledge his love to his grandmother. The oldlady's manner did not encourage confidence. Instinctively he mistrustedher. The old lady eyed him narrowly.
"Take my advice, and be attentive to the girl. If you follow it I shallbe well pleased; if not, I shall act accordingly. Or perhaps when yougo to London you would like to be introduced to your cousins, theCoppinger girls. There are a good many of them, I believe, but I havekept up no intercourse for some years past with my worthy brotherStephen. Indeed, he and I have different notions on most subjects.However, if there is anything to be gained, I should have no objectionto call on my nieces. He is very rich, I am told, and will probablydivide his fortune between them. Still, though our family is a goodone, as he has always lived in the city, a daughter of his cannot bringyou the county influence and credit which you would derive from such agirl as Mabel Everard."
Harry seldom acted the hypocrite. He did so, however, on this occasion.He should be very happy to become acquainted with his fair cousins, andhe did not for a moment deny the attractions of Mabel Everard, or theadvantages which might accrue, should he be fortunate enough to win herhand.
The old lady, with all her acuteness, did not quite understand hergrandson. On this occasion, however, she read his mind better thanusual. Had he been perfectly frank she might have doubted him, but nowthat he attempted to compete with her in hypocrisy, she read him throughand through.
"Why the lad thinks of marrying that little girl," she thought toherself, "and unless her father should marry again, she will be one ofthe chief heiresses of the county, should her cousin die."
The intended ball was to be the largest which had yet taken place atStanmore, and Lucy especially wished for it. It was her birthday, andthe Colonel could deny her nothing. Besides, Captain Everard had comehome, and it would help to do him honour. Not only was all theneighbourhood asked, but people from all parts of the county. The housewas to be full. As it was originally a hunting lodge, the outbuildingswere very extensive, and could hold all the carriages and horses of thenumerous guests. People do not mi
nd packing tolerably close on suchoccasions. There was a long range of rooms in one of the wings forbachelors, and another similar range where a vast number of young ladiescould be put up, with their attendant waiting-maidens. The newdining-hall, in which the dancing was to take place, was very extensive.It was to be ornamented with wreaths of flowers, and numerous bracketlights on the walls. The chandeliers were looked upon as wonderfulspecimens of art, though greatly surpassed by those of later years. Aconsiderable number of guests who came from a distance arrived the daybefore. Lucy and Mabel had exerted themselves, especially in preparingthe wreaths, and running about the house all the day assisting theiraunt. Harry, of course, had been summoned over to help, and so had theBaron de Ruvigny.
Harry had got over