The Firm of Girdlestone

  CHAPTER XXV.

  A CHANGE OF FRONT.

  This episode had occurred about a fortnight before Ezra's return fromAfrica, and was duly retailed to him by his father.

  "You need not be discouraged by that," he said. "I can always keep themapart, and if he is absent and you are present--especially as she has noidea of the cause of his absence--she will end by feeling slighted andpreferring you."

  "I cannot understand how you ever came to let the matter go so far," hisson answered sullenly. "What does the young puppy want to come poachingupon our preserves for? The girl belongs to us. She was given to youto look after, and a nice job you seem to have made of it!"

  "Never mind, my boy," replied the merchant. "I'll answer for keepingthem apart if you will only push the matter on your own account."

  "I've said that I would do so, and I will," Ezra returned; and eventssoon showed that he was as good as his word.

  Before his African excursion the relations between young Girdlestone andhis father's ward had never been cordial. Kate's nature, however, wasso sweet and forgiving, that it was impossible for her to harbour anyanimosity, and she greeted Ezra kindly on his return from his travels.Within a few days she became conscious that a remarkable change had comeover him--a change, as it seemed to her, very much for the better.In the past, weeks had frequently elapsed without his addressing her,but now he went out of his way to make himself agreeable. Sometimes hewould sit for a whole evening describing to her all that he had seen inAfrica, and really interesting her by his account of men and things.She, poor lass, hailed this new departure with delight, and did all inher power to encourage his better nature and to show that sheappreciated the alteration in his bearing. At the same time, she wasrather puzzled in her mind, for an occasional flash of coarseness orferocity showed her that the real nature of the man was unaltered, andthat he was putting an unnatural restraint upon himself.

  As the days went on, and no word or sign came from Tom, a great fear andperplexity arose within the girl's mind. She had heard nothing of theinterview at Fenchurch Street, nor had she any clue at all which couldexplain the mystery. Could it be that Tom had informed her guardian oftheir engagement, and had received such a rebuff that he had abandonedher in despair? That was surely impossible; yet why was it that he hadceased to walk through the square? She knew that he was not ill,because she heard her two companions talking of him in connection withbusiness. What could be the matter, then? Her little heart was torn bya thousand conflicting doubts and fears.

  In the mean time Ezra gave fresh manifestations of the improvement whichtravel had wrought upon him. She had remarked one day that she was fondof moss roses. On coming down to breakfast next morning she found abeautiful moss rose upon her plate, and every morning afterwards a freshflower appeared in the same place. This pretty little piece ofcourtesy, which she knew could only come from Ezra, surprised andpleased her, for delicacy was the last quality for which she would havegiven him credit.

  On another occasion she had expressed a desire to read Thackeray'sworks, the books in the library being for the most part of last century.On entering her room that same evening she found, to her astonishment, ahandsomely bound edition of the novels in question standing on thecentre of her table. For a moment a wild, unreasoning hope awoke in herthat perhaps this was Tom's doing--that he had taken this means ofshowing that she was still dear to him. She soon saw, however, that thebooks could only have come from the same source as the flowers, and shemarvelled more than ever at this fresh proof of the good will of hercompanion.

  One day her guardian took the girl aside. "Your life must be ratherdull," he said. "I have taken a box for you to-night at the opera.I do not care about such spectacles myself, but I have made arrangementsfor your escort. A change will do you good."

  Poor Kate was too sad at heart to be inclined for amusement.She endeavoured, however, to look pleased and grateful.

  "My good friend, Mrs. Wilkinson, is coming for you," the merchant said,"and Ezra is going too. He has a great liking for music."

  Kate could not help smiling at this last remark, as she thought howvery successfully the young man had concealed his taste during the yearsthat she had known him.

  She was ready, however, at the appointed hour, and Mrs. Wilkinson, aprim old gentlewoman, who had chaperoned Kate on the rare occasions whenshe went out, having arrived, the three drove off together.

  The opera happened to be "Faust," and the magnificent scenery anddresses astonished Kate, who had hardly ever before been within thewalls of a theatre. She sat as if entranced, with a bright tinge ofcolour upon her cheeks, which, with her sparkling eyes, made her looksurpassingly beautiful. So thought Ezra Girdlestone as he sat in therecesses of the box and watched the varied expressions which flittedacross her mobile features. "She is well worth having, money or no," hemuttered to himself, and redoubled his attentions to her during theevening.

  An incident occurred between the acts that night which would havepleased the old merchant had he witnessed it. Kate had been lookingdown from the box, which was upon the third tier, at the sea of headsbeneath them. Suddenly she gave a start, and her face grew a triflepaler.

  "Isn't that Mr. Dimsdale down there?" she said to her companion.

  "Where?" asked Ezra, craning his neck. "Oh yes, there he is, in thesecond row of the stalls."

  "Do you know who the young lady is that he is talking to?" Kate asked.

  "I don't know," said Ezra. "I have seen him about with her a good deallately." The latter was a deliberate falsehood, but Ezra saw his chanceof prejudicing his rival, and took prompt advantage of it. "She is verygood-looking," he added presently, keeping his eyes upon his companion.

  "Oh, indeed," said Kate, and turned with some common-place remark toMrs. Wilkinson. Her heart was sore nevertheless, and she derived littlepleasure from the remainder of the performance. As to Ezra, in spite ofhis great love for music, he dozed peacefully in a corner of the boxduring the whole of the last act. None of them were sorry when Faustwas duly consigned to the nether regions and Marguerite was apotheosedupon a couple of wooden clouds. Ezra narrated the incident of therecognition in the stalls to his father on his return, and the oldgentleman rubbed his hands over it.

  "Most fortunate!" he exclaimed gleefully. "By working on that idea wemight produce great effects. Who was the girl, do you know?"

  "Some poor relation, I believe, whom he trots out at times."

  "We will find out her name and all about her. Capital, capital!" criedJohn Girdlestone; and the two worthies departed to their rooms muchpleased at this new card which chance had put into their hands.

  During the weary weeks while Tom Dimsdale, in accordance with hispromise, avoided Eccleston Square and everything which could remind Kateof his existence, Ezra continued to leave no stone unturned in hisendeavours to steal his way into her affections. Poor Tom's solecomfort was the recollection of that last passionate letter which he hadwritten in the Blackwall public-house, and which had, as he imagined,enlightened her as to the reasons of his absence, and had prevented herfrom feeling any uneasiness or surprise. Had he known the fate that hadbefallen that epistle, he would hardly have been able to continue hisoffice duties so patiently or to wait with so much resignation for Mr.Girdlestone's sanction to his engagement.

  As the days passed and still brought no news, Kate's face grew paler andher heart more weary and desponding. That the young man was well wasbeyond dispute, since she had seen him with her own eyes at the opera.What explanation could there be, then, for his conduct? Was it possiblethat he had told Mr. Girdlestone of their engagement, and that herguardian had found some means of dissuading him from continuing hissuit--found some appeal to his interest, perhaps, which was too strongfor his love. All that she knew of Tom's nature contradicted such asupposition. Again, if Girdlestone had learned anything of theirengagement, surely he would have reproached her with it. His manner oflate had been kinder rather than harsher
. On the other hand, could ithave chanced that Tom had met this lady of the opera, and that hercharms had proved too much for his constancy? When she thought of thehonest grey eyes which had looked down into hers at that last meeting inthe garden, she found it hard to imagine the possibility of such things,and yet there was a fact which had to be explained. The more shethought of it the more incomprehensible it grew, but still the pale facegrew paler and the sad heart more heavy.

  Soon, however, her doubts and fears began to resolve themselves intosomething more substantial than vague conjecture. The conversation ofthe Girdlestones used to turn upon their business colleague, and alwaysin the same strain. There were stray remarks about his doings; hintsfrom the father and laughter from the son. "Not much work to be got outof him now," the old man would say. "When a man's in love he's not overfond of a ledger."

  "A nice-looking girl, too," said Ezra, in answer to some such remark."I thought something would come of it. We saw them together at theopera, didn't we, Kate?"

  So they would gossip together, and every word a stab to the poor girl.She strove to conceal her feelings, and, indeed, her anger and her pridewere stronger even than her grief, for she felt that she had beencruelly used. One day she found Girdlestone alone and unbosomed herselfto him.

  "Is it really true," she asked, with a quick pant and a catch of herbreath, "that Mr. Dimsdale is engaged to be married?"

  "I believe so, my dear," her guardian answered. "It is commonlyreported so. When a young lady and gentleman correspond it is usually asign of something of the sort."

  "Oh, they correspond?"

  "Yes, they certainly correspond. Her letters are sent to him at theoffice. I don't know that I altogether like that arrangement. It looksas if he were deceiving his parents." All this was an unmitigated lie,but Girdlestone had gone too far now to stick at trifles.

  "Who is the lady?" asked Kate, with a calm set face but a quivering lip.

  "A cousin of his. Miss Ossary is her name, I believe. I am not sorry,for it may be a sign that he has sown all his wild oats. Do you know atone time, Kate, I feared that he might take a fancy to you. He has aspecious way with him, and I felt my responsibility in the matter."

  "You need not be afraid on that score," Kate said bitterly. "I think Ican gauge Mr. Dimsdale's specious manner at its proper value." Withthis valiant speech she marched off, head in air, to her room, and therewept as though her very heart would break.

  John Girdlestone told his son of this scene as they walked home fromFenchurch Street that same day. "We must look sharp over it," he said,"or that young fool may get impatient and upset our plans."

  "It's not such an easy matter," said his son gloomily. "I get along sofar, but no further. It's a more uphill job than I expected."

  "Why, you had a bad enough name among women," the merchant said, withsomething approaching to a sneer. "I have been grieved times out ofnumber by your looseness in that respect. I should have thought thatyou might have made your experience of some use now."

  "There are women and women," his son remarked. "A girl like this takesas much managing as a skittish horse."

  "Once get her into harness, and I warrant you'll keep her there quietenough."

  "You bet," said Ezra, with a loud laugh. "But at present she has thepull. Her mind is still running on that fellow."

  "She spoke bitterly enough of him this morning."

  "So she might, but she thinks of him none the less. If I could oncemake her thoroughly realize that he had thrown her over I might catchher on the hop. She'd marry for spite if she wouldn't for love."

  "Just so; just so. Wait a bit. That can be managed, I think, if youwill leave it to me."

  The old man brooded over the problem all day, for from week to week thenecessity for the money was becoming more pressing, and that money couldonly be hoped for through the success of Ezra's wooing. No wonder thatevery little detail which might sway the balance one way or the otherwas anxiously pondered over by the head of the firm, and that even thefluctuations in oil and ivory became secondary to this great object.

  Next day, immediately after they had sat down to dinner, some letterswere handed in by the footman. "Forwarded on from the office, sir,"said the flunkey. "The clerk says that Mr. Gilray was away and that hedid not like to open them."

  "Just like him!" said Girdlestone, peevishly pushing back his plate ofsoup. "I hate doing business out of hours." He tore the envelopes offthe various letters as he spoke. "What's this? Casks returned as perinvoice; that's all right. Note from Rudder & Saxe--that can beanswered to-morrow. Memorandum on the Custom duties at Sierra Leone.Hallo! what have we here? 'My darling Tom'--who is this from--Yoursever, Mary Ossary.' Why, it's one of young Dimsdale's love-letters whichhas got mixed up with my business papers. Ha! ha! I must reallyapologize to him for having opened it, but he must take his chance ofthat, if he has his correspondence sent to the office. I take it forgranted that everything there is a business communication."

  Kate's face grew very white as she listened. She ate little dinner thatday, poor child, and took the earliest opportunity of retiring to herroom.

  "You did that uncommonly well, dad," said Ezra approvingly, after shewas gone. "It hit her hard, I could see that."

  "I think it touched her pride. People should not have pride. We arewarned against it. Now, that same pride of hers will forbid her everthinking of that young man again."

  "And you had the letter written?"

  "I wrote it myself. I think, in such a case, any stratagem isjustifiable. Such large interests are at stake that we must adoptstrong measures. I quite agree with the old Churchmen that the endoccasionally justifies the means."

  "Capital, dad; very good!" cried Ezra, chewing his toothpick. "I liketo hear you argue. It's quite refreshing."

  "I act according to the lights which are vouchsafed me," said JohnGirdlestone gravely; on which Ezra leaned back in his chair and laughedheartily.

  The very next morning the merchant spoke to Dimsdale on the matter, forhe had observed signs of impatience in the young man, and feared thatsome sudden impulse might lead him to break his promise and so upseteverything.

  "Take a seat. I should like to have a word with you," he saidgraciously, when his junior partner appeared before him to consult withhim as to the duties of the day. Tom sat down with hope in his heart.

  "It is only fair to you, Mr. Dimsdale," Girdlestone said, in a kindlyvoice, "that I should express to you my appreciation of your honourableconduct. You have kept your promise in regard to Miss Harston in thefullest manner."

  "Of course I kept my promise," said Tom bluntly. "I trust, however,that you will soon see your way to withdrawing your prohibition. It hasbeen a hard trial to me."

  "I have insisted upon it because it seemed to me to be my duty.Every one takes his own view upon such points, and it has always been mycustom throughout life to take what some might think a stringent one.It appears to me that I owe it to my deceased friend to prevent hisdaughter, whom he has confided to me, from making any mistake.As I said before, if you continue to show that you are worthy of her, Imay think more favourably of it. Exemplary as your conduct has beensince you joined us, I believe that I am not wrong in stating that youwere a little wild when you were at Edinburgh."

  "I never did anything that I am ashamed of," said Tom.

  "Very likely not," Girdlestone answered, with an irrepressible sneer."The question is, did you do anything that your father was ashamed of?"

  "Certainly not," cried Tom hotly. "I was no milksop or psalm singer,but there is nothing that I ever did there of which I should be ashamedof my father knowing."

  "Don't speak lightly of psalm singing. It is a good practice in itsway, and you would have been none the worse had you indulged in itperhaps. However, that is neither here nor there. What I want youclearly to understand is that my ultimate consent to your union dependsentirely upon your own conduct. Above all, I insist that you re
frainfrom unsettling the girl's mind at present."

  "I have already promised. Hard as the struggle may be, I shall notbreak my word. I have the consolation of knowing that if we wereseparated for twenty years we should still be true to one another."

  "That's very satisfactory," said the merchant grimly.

  "Nevertheless it is a weary, weary time. If I could only write aline--"

  "Not a word," Girdlestone interrupted. "It is only because I trust youthat I keep her in London at all. If I thought there was a possibilityof your doing such a thing I should remove her at once."

  "I shall do nothing without your permission," Tom said, taking up hishat to go. He paused with his hand upon the door. "If ever it seemsgood to me," he said, "I consider that by giving you due notice Iabsolve myself from my promise."

  "You would not do anything so foolish."

  "Still I reserve myself the right of doing so," said Tom, and went offwith a heavy heart to his day's work.

  "Everything is clear for you now," the old man said to his sontriumphantly. "There's no chance of interference, and the girl is inthe very humour to be won. I flatter myself that it has been managedwith tact. Remember that all is at stake, and go in and win."

  "I shall go in," said Ezra "and I think the chances are that I shallwin too."

  At which reassuring speech the old man laughed, and slapped his sonapprovingly upon the shoulder.