Part 7 (1/2)
”Oh! I don't think so; at least, the opinion is all one way. Don't you think Miss Rose beautiful, Mr. Layard?” she said, turning to her companion.
”Ripping,” said that gentleman, with emphasis. ”But I wish she wouldn't beat one at tennis; it is an insult to the stronger s.e.x.”
Mary looked at him reflectively. His sister looked at him also.
”And I am sure that you think her beautiful, don't you, Morris?” went on the imperturbable Mary.
”Certainly, of course; lovely,” he replied, with a vacuous stare at the elderly wife of the baronet.
”There, Miss Layard, now you collect the opinions of the gentlemen all along your side.” And Mary turned away, ostensibly to talk to her cavalier; but really to find out what could possibly interest Morris so deeply in the person or conversation of Lady Jones.
Lady Jones was talking across the table to Mr. Tomley, the departing rector, a benevolent-looking person, with a broad forehead adorned like that of Father Time by a single lock of snowy hair.
”And so you are really going to the far coast of Northumberland, Mr.
Tomley, to exchange livings with the gentleman with the odd name? How brave of you!”
Mr. Tomley smiled a.s.sent, adding: ”You can imagine what a blow it is to me, Lady Jones, to separate myself from my dear paris.h.i.+oners and friends”--here he eyed the Colonel, with whom he had waged a continual war during his five years of residence in the parish, and added: ”But we must all give way to the cause of duty and the necessities of health.
Mrs. Tomley says that this part of the country does not agree with her, and is quite convinced that unless she is taken back to her native Northumberland air the worst may be expected.”
”I fancy that it has arrived in that poor man's case,” thought Mary to herself. Lady Jones, who also knew Mrs. Tomley and the power of her tongue, nodded her head sympathetically and said:
”Of course, of course. A wife's health must be the first consideration of every good man. But isn't it rather lonely up there, Mr. Tomley?”
”Lonely, Lady Jones?” the clergyman replied with energy, and shaking his white lock. ”I a.s.sure you that the place is a howling desert; a great moor behind, and the great sea in front, and some rocks and the church between the two. That's about all, but my wife likes it because she used to stay at the rectory when she was a little girl. Her uncle was the inc.u.mbent there. She declares that she has never been well since she left the parish.”
”And what did you say is the name of the present inhabitant of this earthly paradise, the man with whom you have exchanged?” interrupted the Colonel.
”Fregelius--the Reverend Peter Fregelius.”
”What an exceedingly odd name! Is he an Englishman?”
”Yes; but I think that his father was a Dane, and he married a Danish lady.”
”Indeed! Is she living?”
”Oh, no. She died a great many years ago. The old gentleman has only one child left--a girl.”
”What is her name?” asked someone idly, in a break of the general conversation, so that everybody paused to listen to his reply.
”Stella--Stella Fregelius; a very unusual girl.”
Then the conversation broke out again with renewed vigour, and all that those at Morris's end of the table could catch were s.n.a.t.c.hes such as: ”Wonderful eyes”; ”Independent young person”; ”Well read and musical”; ”Oh, yes! poor as church mice, that's why he accepted my offer.”
At this point the Doctor began a rather vehement argument with Mr.
Porson as to the advisability of countervailing duties to force foreign nations to abandon the sugar bounties, and no more was heard of Mr.
Tomley and his plans.
On the whole, Mary enjoyed that dinner-party. Miss Layard, somewhat sore after her first encounter, attempted to retaliate later.