*CHAPTER III.*
*BEFORE THE FRAY.*
"Oh!" exclaimed Mrs. Faber later on, when Toney threw open her oldsitting-room door where the poor companion had had such miserable hours.It was as comfortable as modern comfort bought with modern money couldmake it. Then the little woman fairly sat down and cried.
"Gracious stars! I meant to make you laugh, Crumpet! Oh, gee! you seehow hard it is to do right!"
Mrs. Faber quickly dried her tears and smiled.
"I can't help thinking of all my happiness now and comparing it with thepast, and it's all owing to you, Toney. Do you remember----"
"Of course I do. What mostest fun we had when I dressed in yourgrandmother's garments, and then when your dear Henry came!"
"When I compare my past and my present I feel how ungrateful I am!"
"Nonsense, Chum, you _never_ were ungrateful! But look here, I gotaunt's leave to furbish up this room a bit so that you shouldn't bereminded of the old order. I knew you would prefer our being togetherup here, and I've got lots to tell you. First, I've had some dressesmade for you, so that you shouldn't be put to any expense for _my_party." Toney quickly opened a wooden box and displayed the most lovelydresses imaginable, lovely because suitable and perfectly simple. Onewas a dinner dress of pale mauve silk, just suited to Mrs. Faber'sdelicate complexion, and the other was a white liberty silk dress forthe ball. Mrs. Faber gasped.
"Oh no, Toney! it's impossible! They must have cost ever so much money,and I don't want people to say that I--I sponge upon you."
"There you are again, Crumpet! 'People to say,' I did think that you'drise above that. Remember Henry's pleasure--and mine!"
"Henry may not think it right!"
"Look here, Chum, let's be serious just for one minute and listen. Youknow I've an awful lot of money, fifty thousand a year!" Mrs. Fabergasped again.
"It's a secret, by the way, but not from you. Well, when I first heardit I did what Pups would have done, I just dedicated it all to otherpeople that wanted it, and I didn't guess it would be such hard work asI see it will be. After to-morrow I shall work like a Kanaka, but justfor this week I'm going to please myself and not think if it's wise, orif it's political economy, or all the things I've been trying to learnto fit myself for spending this stuff."
"It will be too much work for you, dear!"
"Yes, it's awful! but I'm going to keep just enough to dress like Pups'daughter, because that's what I am. You know Aunt Dove never thought mefit to live here, and I'm not yet changed, you see! And there shallalways be enough to take people abroad who want it every year, you, too,of course among the number, for you'll get so parochial if you don't rubabout a little, that you must travel, and then the rest will have to be'wisely distributed,' as Mr. Hales says. Ouf!"
"Oh, dear, it is too much work," repeated Mrs. Faber, gently feeling thedinner dress between her fingers; she had never had a gown like thatbefore, and how proud Henry would be of her appearance!
"So, Crumpet, don't ever think of me as rich. I shan't be, I'll have toscrew sometimes on the allowance I'll make myself, but that's fordiscipline. Aunt Dove will have a nice slice of cake to make herhappy--if she can be--and well, that's all, now remember I'm just thesame old Toney with all her faults as of old, and too bad for anyone tolove for herself, Aunt Dove says so--except you always, Crumpet. NowI'll ring for Rose to help us to dress."
"Where's your dress, dear Toney?" asked Mrs. Faber, going across toToney's simple bedroom on which no money had been spent to embellish it.
"It's here. You see, Chum, it's only white muslin, but it's brand newand looks all right."
"Oh, Toney, much too simple, why anyone might wear that!"
"Well, I _am_ disappointed in you! Didn't I explain quite straight I'monly Toney, and not rich, if I dressed up smart--which you know I hateany way--people would think I was rich. I believe you would like me towear a dress of bank-notes sewed together. I did think you weren'tworldly!"
"I'll try, dear, but when you make me wear such a lovely thing, thoughI'm only a poor clergyman's wife with three hundred a year, it doesn'tseem quite----"
"It's to please me! Just for once I must have a fling, and after thatI'll be as matter of fact as you like."
At this moment Rose appeared. She had been kitchen-maid, but Toney hadhunted her up and turned her into a lady's maid, as Lady Dove insistedon Toney's engaging such a personage, saying her own maid had as much asshe could do with her own affairs. Rose was supremely happy, but farmore willing than capable, and Toney managed to do all her own toiletwhilst she was getting Mrs. Faber into her dream dress. Toney hadbegged her uncle that they should be by themselves at Aldersfield thisevening, just to seem like old times, and he had agreed, though Mr.Staines, the London lawyer, was of course one of the small party. MissGrossman never appeared after the dinner bell had rung, and firmlyrefused any summons to the drawing-room after that meal, saying she hadher own affairs to see after. Her ladyship had been very angry ofcourse, and relieved her feelings by grumbling to her husband. She wasdischarging her wrath at him this evening before going up to dress.
"Grossman has very erroneous ideas of her duty, Evas. It's preposterousto refuse to pour out the evening tea and to take out the cards or pickup my stitches. I should never have engaged her if I could have guessedwhat she would be like."
"Why don't you get rid of her, Melina?"
"How aggravating you can be, Evas, you know quite well the last womandrank, and the one before was deaf and heard all awry. If I sentGrossman away, which I should dearly love to do, her successor wouldhave a worse failing."
"Yes, most likely," he answered.
"That's just like you, Evas, you never try to help me."
"Shall I have a talk with her?"
"_You_ have a talk with Grossman! Pray don't joke! she'd tell you tomind your own business; that woman is afraid of no one, positively noone! I wish Faber would die, and then I could have Crump back again, forthen she would be penniless."
"And the two children?"
"Yes, it's really wicked of them! I should have to get them intoasylums. Most provoking, ever since Antonia stepped into the houseeverything has gone from bad to worse. However, she is sure to getmarried soon for her money!"
"Did you ever think Lewis Waycott admired Toney?" said Sir Evas, hopingto please his spouse by this suggestion.
"Lewis Waycott! He's going to marry his cousin Maud. Mrs. Hamiltonarranged all that long ago. But I dare say you are right, and he willthrow up that nice girl for Toney's money bags. After all we have donefor her--and it's entirely through me she has this money, for I told theGeneral the plain truth about her penniless condition--I think Antoniacould show her gratitude more by imitating our English manners. What'sbred in the bone, I know, but she might at least pretend to be a lady."
"Pretend! You might know by this time that Toney can't pretend."
"Oh, you men are all taken with a young girl, I know! Duty goes to thewind when----"
But here Sir Evas slipped away to dress; now and then his manners failedentirely, and he did not always wait for the end of his wife'ssentences. This evening, as her ladyship walked upstairs, her familiardemon provided a new torture for her. Suppose what Evas said were true,suppose Lewis Waycott fell in love with Antonia and married her and herfortune, his estate would benefit enormously, and the Waycotts would bea power in the county. "Antonia shall certainly not marry LewisWaycott," she said to herself, "I can nip that in the bud--and I shall."Then, with a smile on her face, she rang for Rivett, who was as prim asformerly, but now she could no longer bully the companion, as MissGrossman was fully able to keep her own position and to exact outwardrespect from the servants.
That evening in the drawing-room at Aldersfield, Toney's very presenceseemed to shame the selfish stateliness of Lady Dove, for she had morethan fulfilled the promise of beauty, though of a special kind. Herface was radiant, an
d her beautiful hair seemed to crown the perfectoutline of her head. Her very simplicity of dress might have beenpremeditated, so entirely did it harmonize with the girl whose everymotion was full of life and the beauty that comes from perfectunconsciousness of self. Certainly three of the people there weresecretly speculating what fortunate man would win Toney's heart. Atpresent her heart was given to humanity, and had never experienced thepersonal feeling which may make or mar perfect womanhood, but whichnever passes without leaving its trace.
Mr. Staines made a formal bow to Lady Dove and offered his arm, whilstToney looked at Sir Evas who hesitated.
"Of course, uncle, married ladies first," and Sir Evas offered his armto the blushing Anne Faber, but thinking of Henry she determined to makethe most of herself, and Toney would be close by, besides, abroad sheand Sir Evas had become most friendly, and this was a wonderfultransformation. Mr. Staines was so attentive to Lady Dove that theother three were allowed to enjoy themselves.
"Are the preparations all ready, uncle? Did you see if the big barn wasfinally swept out, and if the rose wreaths were finished?"
"I assure you, Toney, I've worked myself to death."
"And did you send out all the invitations I wrote?"
"Every one. I got Barnes and Jones to take them round a week ago. Ionly hope your scrawls were readable!"
"I thought they would like it best, a personal invitation is muchbetter, isn't it?"
"What did you say, Toney?" asked Mrs. Faber.
"Miss Toney Whitburn will be much delighted if Mrs. Spratt will come andhave a dinner and dance on October 28th, at Aldersfield House. Dinnerpunctually at six o'clock, family included--babies taken care of."
"But you'll have all the village!"
"All uncle's people, of course. Won't it be fun! Uncle and I plannedit all weeks ago. Didn't we, dear?"
"You planned it, Toney, and I said yes. I know my duty!"
"But you were as excited as I was. You know you were! I do wish mydear General were here. Do you think he and Pups will look on?"
"Well, I expect---- I shouldn't wonder," said poor Sir Evas, whoseethics of the world beyond were very hazy, "or, perhaps they can see along way off."
"Pups said that there were no real lines of demarcation in nature, but,of course, you would not want everybody who's dead to crowd in. It'sjust a puzzle! The cook is excited too. Oh, Chum, I've ordered thedinner as I'm going to pay all expenses, and you'll see. It took a gooddeal of planning, but I didn't tell uncle all that, I was just a bitafraid he'd split on me."
"I'm as dark as the grave, Toney!" said Sir Evas laughing, "but I mustsay I shall be glad when it's over. One never knows with you----"
"Are we all to dance together?" asked Mrs. Faber.
"At first, but there's a ball in the big drawing-room for the people whodon't care about the tenants, only they won't be half so lively. Mr.Waycott's promised he'll be at the opening of my ball, and Dr. Latham,and, of course, you and uncle. I don't think Aunt Dove will care. Shesays poor people are not odoriferous. It comes from their clothes beingrather old. I wished we lived in the days of Henry IV., when every poorman had a fowl in his cooking-pot."
"A fowl wouldn't go far with Charles Pipkin and his family," said SirEvas, "it did all very well for the Frenchies."
"It is fortunate girls only come of age once in their lifetime," LadyDove was saying. "When I was young it meant a young lady was fullyformed and educated, and her manners were irreproachable; I fear wecan't say that of Antonia, Mr. Staines."
"All in due time, Lady Dove," was Mr. Staines' guarded answer.
"Really how horribly Grossman has arranged these flowers, and taken allmy best roses too," exclaimed her ladyship. "You were much moresuccessful, Anne Faber. It seems a pity you can no longer use yourtalents."
"My husband is passionately fond of flowers, we always have some on thetable," murmured Mrs. Faber.
"Indeed! It's a pity flowers are not edible. Mr. Staines, how isCaptain Stone. He is another eccentric creature, and has not been tosee us for a long time, but he asked for a bed to-morrow."
"He told me of his intention. He was very fond of his brother."
"The General's will must have been a bitter pill to him," said Lady Dovesmiling.
Mr. Staines saw clearly that it was Lady Dove who had swallowed thepill, and replied politely,
"I know that the General asked his brother's consent, and Captain Stonethought all his brother did perfect."
"Indeed! men are so deluded, I mean the old ones of course. LewisWaycott, our neighbour, is fast turning into the same kind of man. Hehas become quite the farmer, don't you think so, Evas?"
"What, my dear, Lewis Waycott? Yes, certainly, excellent fellow; seesafter his cottages now, and is quite a model landlord."