*CHAPTER VIII.*
*A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW.*
Toney made a dash to her bedroom where Rose was waiting to help her intoher white dress. It was very pretty and very simple, with soft laceround the base of the neck showing off the pose of the head and Toney'slovely hair.
"Miss Toney, you do look nice," exclaimed Rose, "what will you wearround your neck?"
"My birthday present of course--Pup's picture. You can't think how Ivalue it."
"Won't you wear this coral bracelet for luck, Miss Toney?"
"Yes, it is Mrs. Faber's present, it belonged to her great aunt, whosedress I once wore when I first came," and Toney laughed at therecollection. "Now, I have not one minute more as uncle is going to walkme in. The people will like it so. They love a show-off. Run, Rose,and get ready for waiting on them. I wish I might do some of thewaiting, but uncle wouldn't hear of it, and also it would look too muchlike a school feast. Oh, give me some of those flowers the dear peoplebrought to-day. Wasn't it sweet of them, because they know I loveflowers better than anything."
Toney and Rose each flew down different ways. For one instant Toney waseven tempted to slide down the balusters as in old days, but rememberedher frock in time.
"I wish I could feel old--I suppose I shall when I'm seventy. Oh dear,where is Uncle Evas, I expect----"
She knocked softly at his dressing-room door and stooping down spokethrough the keyhole. "Uncle Evas! Hullo, are you there?"
She heard him cross the room on tip-toe, then he very softly opened thedoor.
"Yes, Toney, I'm ready. Don't disturb your aunt, she is dressing. Idon't think she will be ready for your first dinner."
"But you are, come along, and I say, uncle, you'll really eat, won'tyou, because they will think you're too proud if you don't."
"I've never dined at six o'clock before, Toney. It's a great trial toone's digestion, but I'll try. Now, tell me the programme."
"I've got them all in the hall and in the passages waiting to go to thebarn. Come on, uncle! You mustn't keep your guests waiting."
Sir Evas wished himself anywhere but among so many guests. He knew thathis wife might appear in no enviable mood; but Toney had him well inhand. Escape was impossible. Putting on as good expression of welcomeas he could, he followed her obediently. Their appearance at the top ofthe staircase had a magical effect. All heads were turned towards thevision of their Miss Toney in an evening dress, its very simplicitymaking the angel idea more perfect to them, for the greater part hadnever seen a young lady in an evening dress except in illustratedmagazines. But this vision was by no means like a novelette heroine,calm, beautiful, and stately, whilst Toney never guessed she was worthyof admiration, her one thought being that it was just six o'clock.
"Here we are! Sir Evas is so glad to welcome you all, and he's so gladyou've seen all his house. If you don't mind we'll lead the way todinner. People generally go two and two, but please don't bother aboutthat, it always seems to me like the animals in the ark." And Toney'smerry laugh made everybody feel at home as, taking her uncle's arm shecrossed the hall.
At this moment, Lewis, Lady Carew, Maud and the Fabers, and the Halescame out of the small drawing-room. They were not going to miss thispart of the entertainment, having nobly done their duty as showmen.
"Oh, how nice--Mr. Hales, you know everybody, will you just go about themiddle and Mr. Waycott bring up the rear, and Mr. Tarrant, will you giveyour arm to Lady Carew and set a good example."
Lady Carew meant to do the whole thing properly, for she knew she wouldbe only one of a crowd at Toney's coming of age party; in spite of thisshe felt glad her lord and master was not there to see her introduced tothe bailiff, who blushed purple and offered her his arm, and held hersvery tightly as if he had been specially cautioned to see that she didnot run away. Maud, Silvia, and Mrs. Faber took the first-comers, but asthe male parts of the procession were quite uncertain as to which arm togive to the ladies, but yet were determined minutely to follow theirleader, there were several _chasse croise_ during the short distance tothe barn, accompanied by the nervous apology of "Excuse me, miss, but Ithink we're wrong. Miss Toney said we were to follow her, and I be onher side instead of t'other."
The other ladies and gentlemen, though they had leave to come anyhow,would not be singular, and whispered jokes might have been heard suchas, "Now, doey take he," "We ain't quite of the right age, Mr. Jones,""'Tis wonderful how the gentry remembers all these puzzling habits,ain't it? Miss Toney looks like as if she'd just come down from heaven.She be a rare 'un, 'tain't likely there's another like her in England,now is it? We don't know nothing about furrin countries, but I'll takemy oath there's none in England like her."
"Nor Scotland, Ireland, nor Wales," said a young man who was a "mightyscholard." "Well to be sure I was forgetting t'others of the family,but the Scotch are very close-fisted, and the Orish is too cranky, andthe Welsh speaks gibberish, 'tain't likely there's any like her in theircountries."
But already the middle and tail of the procession silenced by a suddenexclamation from the foremost guests. The doors were flung open and allat once the dazzling lights revealed a scene none had even dreamt of forbeauty and gloriousness. Lady Carew was the first to exclaim.
"How lovely! Look at the flowers. How wonderful!"
Mr. Farrant opened his mouth, but what came from it was, "Bless my souland body!"
And then behind and behind came various "Lors! Me stars! Bless me's!Did you evers!" Of course the helpers were more prepared, but even theyhad not seen it fully lighted up. On and on they came, the guests, thebuzz growing into a blast, the blast into a hurricane of words, but bythis time Toney had dragged her uncle on to the platform and wasstanding by him, seeing from her vantage ground that everybody wasseated. This was by no means as easy as it appeared. The partners gotmixed at the entrance, and thought it a point of honour to find eachother again, and, what with their anxiety and the astonishment they didnot know how to express adequately, Toney's guests were in danger of notsitting down at all. Mr. Hales came to the rescue, mounted the platformand called out, "Ladies and gentlemen, will you stand whilst I saygrace, and then sit down where you find yourselves."
"Praise God from Whom all blessings flow," began the clerk, not waitingfor Mr. Hales, and a great sound of thanksgiving rose among the rafters.These guests at least were thankful even for the sight of their dinner!
"Thank you, Mr. Hales, I believe we should never have sat down but foryou! Now, uncle, come and take your place at the head of the table withme, and mind you eat a bit of everything, you know!"
"But indeed I don't know, Toney. What's the menu? Ah! I see, goodLord! Ox-tail soup, pheasant, beef. What else?"
But now another hitch occurred, no one would begin till Toney, indespair, seized a spoon and began herself in earnest. The guests lookedat her and looked at each other, then with an evident effort and sigh ofcontent began the work of eating. The rest came naturally, at leastthere was no longer any effort, and "the rich viands," as the reporterchronicled afterwards, quickly disappeared.
Toney had not reckoned with time, however, and it was seven before themeats were done, and then came the pause to bring on the sweets.
"Uncle, now's the time, you know; have you got it all right?"
"No, I haven't, and for goodness sake, let's have no speeches, thereisn't time, the other guests will be coming soon, and--your aunt----"
"There's heaps of time, uncle, screw your courage up, you know, and theywill be so pleased. Remember to begin about being awfully delighted."
The many waiters stood to attention, having been duly warned, and asudden hush fell on the company. Poor Sir Evas felt as if he were beingled to execution as he found himself on the platform, this time withoutToney. His speech had clean gone out of his head except Toney's twowords, "awfully delighted," and that did not sound quite dignified."Hum, hum, I'm awfully delighted--hum--to
see you here to-night, but Ihope, my friends, you all understand that this is my niece's doing onher coming of age. We men are rather up a tree when our femalerelations determine to do something, and as people rarely come of age,hum (that is idiotic), I mean only once in their lives, Miss Whitburnhas had her way. I hope you'll all think it a very good way." (Cheersand thumps.)
"Never was one for speaking wasn't Sir Evas. There's folks 'as got oilytongues and some as 'asn't." This from a sympathetic old lady.
"Time's getting on (that's idiotic too), so I must say no more than Ihope you will always remember this dinner, and I wish you all to drinkthe health of my niece, Toney Whitburn."
A great cheering and drinking of health, with a perfect clatter ofglasses, followed. Toney was deeply disappointed, she had prepared sucha lovely speech for her uncle, and he had declared he would say it, or"words to that effect," but he hadn't! She didn't want him to havementioned her, but all about the guests themselves.
In another moment Toney had sprung on the platform, and then there wassuch a noise as never was, and simultaneously they all rose and sang,"For she's a jolly good fellow," the only known equivalent in theEnglish language for great approval.
The words were nothing, as we know, but it was the great feeling of lovewhich upset Toney. All her own lovely speech fled out of her head, andthe view became misty. She felt as if she was far away on theAustralian land and that her father was close beside her saying,"Courage, Toney, you know I hate tears." Then with the back of her handshe brushed away something that was nearly falling and took courage.
"Thank you very much, kind friends, for giving me such a jolly chorus onmy birthday. I have given you a dinner such as I wish you had every day,at least, no, not quite, but I want you to remember to-day because if Iwere to forget it there would be ever so many of you to remind me of myduty. Without Sir Evas you wouldn't have had this entertainment,because it was he who insisted on his penniless niece coming over here,and when the dear old General left me his money to spend on otherpeople, because he died and couldn't do it himself, well, then Sir Evastook all the trouble of it--and money is an awful trouble--and he's beenhelping me for weeks to arrange everything, and he really is a "jollygood fellow"---- Great stamping of feet and great shouting, as if Toneyhad made a tremendous good joke, and then a wild beginning again of "Forhe's a jolly good fellow," till Mr. Hales begged for silence, and Toney,convulsed with laughter, beckoned to Lewis Waycott and Mr. Hales to comeup to her, which they both did.
"Toney, go on," said Lewis, "they want some more."
"I daren't. Uncle is fidgeting. Time's nearly up. Aren't grandees abother? Mr. Hales, it's your turn now."
"Just wish them a happy evening," said Mr. Hales smiling.
Then Toney went a step forward, and the hubbub ceased like magic.
"I haven't anything more to say except to wish you a jolly evening andplenty of dancing after the dinner is cleared away, and oh, one thing, Iwant you to give a chorus for Dr. Latham, who is, as you know, the bestdoctor in the county. I know it because my father was a doctor, and thevery best in the world. He never thought of himself, and I like peopleto know about Pups, who was a hero, and if you please I should like youto give a chorus for Trick, who came with me, and has been my dearfriend ever since, and for his sake I hope you will be kind to allanimals, as they do care and understand nearly everything--at leastTrick does. That's all, and time is up."
Such a chorus followed, but this time Sir Evas was firm, and left theplatform to Mr. Hales and Lewis Waycott, and led Toney forcibly down thecentre of the room, though she had to seize and shake many hands on theway, promising right and left to come back and dance when the otherdinner was over.
Once outside the barn, it must be told that Sir Evas and Toney raced tothe house and ran up the steps just as a carriage and pair of bayspulled up. Happily, they slipped in without being seen, only when SirEvas joined his wife in the drawing-room, he and Toney panted audibly.
"Evas, you are really too bad to be so late; Lord Southbourne's carriageis at the door."
"Yes, I know, Melina; but we are in time, so where's the harm?"
"I should have had to receive them alone if you hadn't come----"
"Lord and Lady Southbourne and the Honourable Edward Lang," announcedthe footman, and Lady Dove became affable.
"How do you do? How very kind of you to come. Here is the young ladywho has come of age to-day. The neighbourhood has responded so kindly.Do come to this sofa, Lady Southbourne."
Lord Southbourne had never seen Toney before. The family had only latelycome to the neighbourhood, but this is what he heard her saying,
"I wish you hadn't come quite so early; we were having such a nice timewith the tenants, but you will come and dance presently, won't you?"
"We have all come to do your bidding," said Lord Southbourne, kindlygiving Toney a bow; but his son laughed.
"We heard marvellous tales of your entertainment, Miss Whitburn," saidhe. "My father thinks you'll make our tenants' dinners blush infuture."
"Anyhow, the people are happy," said Toney; fanning herself vigorously."They've given us four 'jolly good fellows' already, and it's hot work,I can tell you."